Uncharted Territory
by Delkion
Summary: A look into a different world.  A world where Zoids never really lost their wild side.
1. Primer

Disclaimer: I don't own Zoids. Seriously. Unless you see any original Zoids in here that I created, they ain't mine. All characters, settings, and events, unless stated otherwise, are mine and are not to be used without my express permission.

There was no warning.

"Enemy behi- gahh!"

The Sabre Tiger emitted a dreadful scream as the spinning buster claw sheared through its rear left leg. Not given a moment of respite, it screamed all the louder as wickedly sharp fangs clamped down on neck. With an eerie ease, the enemy zoid's jaws crushed through the Tiger's armor, crushing through its spinal column and paralyzing the zoid. Its comrades were rapidly turning about, bringing their weapons to bear, but it was a futile gesture. The Berserk Fuhrer was among them.

The Fuhrer let loose a deafening roar, pushing off with its mighty legs, aided by a pulse of its thrusters. It slammed into the second Sabre Tiger, crunching into the side of its necking. With a twist, it heaved its victim into its compatriot's line of fire. The stricken zoid gave a scream of its own as its allies fire shredded its armor. As the Tiger slumped to the ground, the Fuhrer set one foot on its shoulder and wrenched upwards. With the sickening sounds of metal tearing and cables snapping, the Fuhrer tore the Sabre Tiger's head off, tossing it to the side.

"What... what the hell is that monster!"

The Fuhrer growled menacingly, stalking forward, its buster claws snapping open to deploy its directional shields as the last Sabre Tiger opened fire, desperately trying to avoid the fate of the others. But it was hopeless. With a scream of predatory glee, the Berserk Fuhrer launched itself forward, the buster claws giving a scream of their own as they spun up to maximum rpm. The Sabre Tiger howled as the claws ripped the weapons pack off the Tiger's back, and it made a desperate lung for the Fuhrer's side. But it underestimated the Fuhrer's cunning, and a buster claw slammed down on the tigers head, shredding through armor and into the cockpit. The Sabre Tiger shuddered to halt as a mist of red erupted from the ruined cockpit, quickly settling onto the remains of its armor as a thick, crimson slurry. The sounds of the blood, slowly dripping back into the cockpit, sounded out in the silence, echoing the finality of combat ended.

Then the Fuhrer began to feed.

A/N: Alright, this is just a tiny sample to test the waters. It introduces a few things that people need to know about the story: It's violent. It's different. It's awesome.

Having said that, I have no real idea as to when the rest will be up. Right now, all I've got is this and half of the first REAL chapter, I haven't even really committed to writing this. That being said, I figured I'd go ahead and post this to see if anyone liked it enough to want to see more. So, here ya go. Read, enjoy, review.


	2. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: See the sample, I'm not repeating it unless it changes.

Uncharted Territory

Chapter 01

A/N: Two reviews on the first day? To me, that's more than enough, and here's the first REAL chapter. It has been self-beta'd, so if you spot any errors, please let me know. And as always, read, enjoy, review. Or, if you didn't enjoy it, please review and tell me why.

"Get up, you lazy-ass!"

The boy opened his eyes wearily. There was a silhouette that blocked his view of the sky. It had its arms crossed, and seemed to be staring down at him in a vaguely menacing way...

"I said get up, Zephyr! We've got shit to do!"

* * *

"...ya know, Audrey, you're not the most pleasant person to wake up to in the morning..."

After sufficiently recovering from the beating she had given him, the Zephyr got to work. His gray coveralls were a bit loose-fitting on his lean frame, but he loved them all the same. His white hair was an unkempt mess, parts of it matted down with oil and grease, and his blue eyes were alight with joy as he worked on his Zoid. His Zoid, Geisterjäger, was his pride and joy, and he adored it with a zeal that made some pilots wonder if he was crazy. They were the crazy ones, in his mind. Who wanted a lumbering Iron Kong or a nimble Lightning Saix when he had the greatest Zoid in existence right here? A Shadow Fox could virtually vanish on a moments notice, and its omnidirectional laser vulcan could strike from anywhere, any angle.

"Alright, your joints are nice and lubricated! How's that feel, Geist?"

As Zephyr hopped down from his perch on its leg, Geisterjäger shifted about, then stretched, his joints moving smoothly. Finding everything to his liking, Geist gave a small yip of happiness. He leaned down to nuzzle his owner in gratitude.

"Heh, you earned it, bud. Now then, lets see to your partner..."

Zephyr sighed as he walked over to his other Zoid, Nachtjäger. It wasn't that he didn't value the raptor, it was a great machine. But... it was a pain in the ass to keep maintained. The Gun Sniper was fragile, prone to breaking down, and a generally just a nightmare to work with.

As he neared it, the Gun Sniper growled lowly. Zephyr just ignored it, hopping up onto the trailer to inspect the Zoid's armor and frame for imperfections. The armor, once proud shades of blue, had been bleached white by untold years of abandonment in the desert. As a result, the Zoid was not quick to trust, it could even be hostile. Even after Zephyr had found it and fixed it up, it still only grudgingly obeyed him.

"...looks good on the outside, now let's see about the internals..."

That was the queue, and Zephyr looked up expectantly. After a moment or two, Nacht slowly lowered his head, opening the hatch as he did. Zephyr quickly hopped into the cockpit and started up the internal diagnostics. He had noticed Nacht's right leg lagging a bit, and suspected that their might be a short somewhere...

"Huh, no wonder you're lagging... Well, I'll just have to fix that!"

Finishing up his repairs, Zephyr hopped into the passenger seat of the idling Gustav. The ever grinning pilot nodded to his partner, and she lowered the canopy before starting off.

"So, where to, Sparks?"

The red-head turned and gave him an irritated glare, her maroon eyes gleaming dangerously.

"One: Don't call me Sparks. Two: I told you already, we're going to Geaderly."

"Geaderly?

"Its a small town in the middle of nowhere. They've been having some trouble with a gang in the area. Nothing big, but they don't have any combat Zoids."

Zephyr settled into his seat, deep in thought. Out here it the sticks, this kind of thing wasn't uncommon. Gangs, bandits, raving lunatics, there just weren't enough police to cover every little settlement. That's where people like Zephyr came in, mercenary pilots willing to do whatever the client wanted, so long as they got paid. Larger communities had even started pseudo police forces out of mercenaries willing to settle down. But, for these smaller towns on the outskirts, wandering mercs were the only answer.

"So, how much?"

"Fifty grand, plus free room and board for the duration of the job. Like I said, not much."

* * *

Zephyr snorted at the understatement. Fifty grand wouldn't even buy a Molga, and he had a high-performance Zoid to take care of. Still, jobs had been slow this far out, so they just had to take what they could get. Looking up out the window, Zephyr saw the little town coming up, a small group of mud-brick buildings with a windmill.

It was late at night now, and Zephyr sat in Geisterjäger's cockpit, waiting for something, _anything_ to happen. They had found a rocky outcropping close by town, and with the Fox's passive stealth capabilities, it would make it hard for the enemy to spot them before the ambush could be sprung. All this waiting around was boring, and Geist was getting antsy.

"Audrey, its dead out here. Me n' Geist won't last much longer if something doesn't happen."

"Quit your bitchin' and do your job."

Zephyr leaned back in his seat, grumbling under his breath. As much as he appreciated her company, Audrey could be a real slave driver. Especially when there wasn't anything happening and he tried to take a-

"And don't you dare try taking a nap, or you'll go without food for three days."

-nap. Yeah, he was hating his job right now. He was about to retort when Geist growled. Zephyr sat up, scanning his instruments for contacts. The multisensor read all clear, but he trusted Geist's instincts.

"What is it, boy?"

Geist seemed to sniff the air, his head snapping to the right as he caught something. Zephyr boosted the power to the multisensor, catching a contact. A lone Helcat sat on the outskirts of town. A scout, most likely.

"Sparks, I got a bite. Looks like a scout, I don't think he noticed me. I'm gonna wait for a couple more before springing on 'em."

"Understood. Try to get them before they get into the town."

Zephyr didn't respond, trying to keep the radio chatter to a minimum. His patience soon paid off as three more contacts appeared. Then two more after that. Then another. Before long, a dozen Zoids had gathered near the Helcat.

"...you gotta be fucking kidding me. Audrey, there's gotta be a dozen fucking Zoids out here, I thought you said this was gonna be small?"

"Their all small fry, you should be able to take 'em."

Normally, Zephyr would be happy for the faith in his abilities, but right now, he didn't need to be patronized. This was gonna require some... finesse. She was right on one thing, they were all small fry. Seven Garantula units, three Iguans, and two Guysacks wasn't exactly overwhelming. He just had to be careful not to get surrounded.

"Alright, Geist, let's have some fun."

Geisterjäger seemed to match its owner's wicked grin as it started off, moving slowly to minimize the noise. As it got closer, Geist crouched lower and lower, stalking closer to its prey. Sticking to the shadows, Zephyr could clearly see the enemy Zoids. Chuckling at their inexperience, he swiveled the Fox's Vulcan over to Helcat. As he pulled the trigger, all hell broke loose.

* * *

"Do you really trust him not to go overboard?"

Audrey half-turned to the mayor. They could hear the commotion to the east, clearly Zephyr had engaged the enemy.

"Honestly? No. But he makes it work."

The mayor grunted, not entirely convinced. But he wasn't about to argue, especially when they had accepted the job.

"Well, he'd better find something out, or he's not getting paid."

Audrey just ignored him. He had no idea what Zephyr was capable of.

* * *

"...how the fuck did this happen?"

Geist didn't answer, being preoccupied with bounding between arcs of fire, leading the enemy back towards the rocks after the clusterfuck that had been their plan evaporated. After a quick burst of fire on the Helcat, tearing through its cockpit, the other Zoids had quickly rounded on his position and pounded it with fire. But Zephyr was already gone, arcing around the crowd, hammering the Iguans with the Vulcan. Seeing the gang starting to realize where he was, Zephyr quickly triggered the smoke dischargers, surrounding the enemy in a dark cloud while continuing to hammer the Iguans. That was where it all went to hell.

Just as the second Iguan fell, one of the Guysacks charged into the smoke. The gods of chance must have been looking upon him, because he just happened to enter the smoke right in front of the Shadow Fox. Going as fast as it was, there was no way to avoid it, and the Fox tripped over the Scorpion Zoid. The Guysack recovered quickly, racing in towards the Fox's rear, and was quickly wrapped up in the Fox's Electromagnetic Net. As Geisterjäger stood up, shaking off the impact, he and his pilot noticed something troubling. The smoke had cleared up, and the gang was looking right at them.

Fast forward, back to the present. Geist swung his Vulcan around to fire on the enemies behind, a smattering of rounds tearing through a Garantula's legs, crippling it. Not to be deterred, the remaining gang members kept on the Fox's tail, firing everything they had the whole time. Zephyr felt the jarring impacts of several rounds hitting Geist's rear, but ignored it as superficial damage, though Geist growled in irritation.

"Almost there buddy, keep it cool."

The rocky cliffs that earlier hid the Fox, now where the key to his salvation. As Geist entered the rock formation, he stopped shooting, wheeling around behind a large outcropping. As soon as he was out of sight, Geist's claws began to glow. Lashing out the rock again and again, he weakened the base until it was nearly ready to give. Then Geist danced back out into the enemies field of vision. Seeing them in range, Geist opened fire. At the base of the rock. The Vulcan chewed through the remaining rock, and the towering spire began to fall as the cunning Fox and its pilot darted away. The enemy was not so lucky, and the rock crumbled as it fell, huge chunks crushing their Zoids, and a huge cloud of dust spread from the impact.

"Haha! I didn't think that would actually work!"

Geist shared in his owners mirth, then turned to see what was left as the cloud of dust cleared. It wasn't much. One of the Guysacks was still moving, though it was struggling with getting its claw out from under a boulder, and the remaining Iguan had been to slow to get caught in the trap.

"Not bad, easy enough. Alright, Geist, lets clean up here and go get paid!"

Geist yipped as he darted forward, lunging for the Guysack. The Scorpion quickly turned and hacked at its trapped pincer, trying desperately to cut it off. It finally did so, and turned to defend itself, but it was too late. Geisterjäger slammed into it with the force of a meteor impact, laying into the Zoid with fangs and claws, tearing it to pieces and crushing the cockpit in the struggle. Dropping the ragged remains, Geist dashed toward the Iguan, firing the Vulcan in bursts at its cockpit, hoping to end it quickly. The Iguan managed to score a cluster of hits on the Fox's shoulder before a round slammed into the cockpit and decapitated the Zoid, as well as the pilot.

"Alright! Now lets go get paid."

As the Shadow Fox started off, a round slammed into its already damaged shoulder, shattering the armor there and causing the Fox to howl in pain. A second round crashed into the ground by its feet, and Geist didn't wait for its pilot's input, running into the remains of the rocks for cover.

"What the fuck is that! They shouldn't have anything with that kind of firepower!"

As their shock from the initial volley clears, something registers on the multisensor. Seeing the contact, Zephyr felt his blood run cold. He was definitely demanding a raise for this. That contact profile was unmistakable

A König Wolf.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 02

The König Wolf howled, a chilling sound in the night air, as it stalked from its sniping position. The Dual Sniper Rifles rotated back and forth, and the Wolf sniffed the air, hunting for targets. Geisterjäger hung back in the shadows of the rock, waiting for its pilot to come up with a plan. With the shoulder armor gone, another hit from those rifles might just take the leg off. This was not something they could take without a plan...

"...fuck it, Audrey, we've got a problem."

When in doubt, ask Audrey. She had a knack for getting him out of sticky situations, but more importantly, she had the Gustav.

"What's up? We felt the aftershocks from your little stunt, really smooth."

"I've got a bare shoulder and a König after me."

The other end was silent. He could almost picture the look on her face, and it made him chuckle despite the reasons for it.

"...well damn, I'll see what I can do."

Zephyr grunted in acknowledgment, the Wolf was now within standard multisensor range. Which of course meant that they were well within the range of those rifles. After some thought, Zephyr decided to do what he does best: just let loose and let God sort it out. And with that thought in mind, Geist leapt out of cover, opening fire with the Vulcan while darting to and fro, attempting to get closer to the König without getting shot. It was working so far, and the König was dancing around as well to avoid the Fox's fire. But it could only work for so long.

The Fox yelped as a round tore into the top of its damaged shoulder. Luckily it was off target, so the shoulder was still attached, but the top of the shoulder had been shorn clean off. Geist growled and sent a fresh burst of fire after the smug Wolf, a cluster of which tore into the Wolf's side, rending the armor there and drawing a yelp of its own.

"Fuuuuck that was close... Alright, Plan B."

Geist heartily agreed, and he darted away from the momentarily distracted König Wolf, firing his smoke dischargers as he did so. Predictably, the König gave chase, though it didn't run straight into the rocks, arcing around to come in from another angle instead. And so started their game of cat and mouse.

* * *

"Dammit, why the hell does this thing move so slow!"

Audrey swore again and again as she willed the Gustav to move faster. Had she looked behind her, she'd have noticed the agitated looking Nachtjäger was trying to escape the tie downs holding it to the trailer...

* * *

Geist ducked quickly, a round tearing through the air his head had occupied just a second before. Vulcan thundering out return fire, the Fox dashed forward, darting between a pair of rocks. The König was not about to sit there and take fire, however, and it too took cover between a pair of boulders.

"Dammit... this is bullshit..."

This game had been going on for a half an hour, and Zephyr was feeling the strain. Let it not be said that he didn't enjoy fighting, but this was getting ridiculous. The König Wolf was every bit as quick and agile as the Shadow Fox, and the Dual Sniper Rifles gave it a punch that the Fox couldn't ignore. Zephyr had been hoping that the König pilot's reflexes would be slower in close combat, but no such luck there. He was every bit as fast as Zephyr.

A bullet ripping through Geist's tail woke him from his thoughts. Geist howled in pain as the round tore the tail off, and he returned fire quickly scoring another flurry of hits along the König legs and back. A truly lucky round slammed into one of the rifle barrels, rendering it useless. Geist took advantage of the Wolf's momentary lapse to run, hunkering down in a small opening between two other rocks.

"Well, I'm out of ideas. How bout you, Geist?"

The Fox was silent a moment, then the control panel lit up. Data started streaming along it at just the right speed for Zephyr to keep up. As he read more and more of his Zoid's plan, Zephyr's grin got wider and wider, reaching seemingly inhuman proportions by the end.

"I'm so proud of you, I think I might cry. Let's do it, game on."

* * *

The König Wolf stalked among the rocks, searching for its prey. Sniffing the air as it went along, it caught sight of something... There! Just barely poking out from behind a boulder, the tip of the Fox's Vulcan. No doubt it was planning an ambush. The pilot grinned to himself as he guided the Wolf around the other side. Slowly, quietly it crept around. Then it jumped out around the corner, firing its remain rifle and scoring a direct hit. The Vulcan was blown clean off its mount... on top of the rock it had been set on.

"Gotcha, you son of a bitch!"

The Wolf spun around desperately, but the Fox slammed into its side, glowing claws digging deep into its innards. The Wolf thrashed desperately, its life in the balance, but it was no use. Geist twisted his paws inside the Wolf, digging even deeper and crushing the König Wolf's core. The Wolf gave one last cry of pain, then shuddered and died. With a howl of victory, Geist ripped out his paw and smashed the Wolf's head in, a sickening crunch echoing from the pilot's gory demise. The Fox continued to howl its victory, its dominance to the world. Zephyr let him have his fun, he'd earned it.

* * *

"The fuck do you mean, 'We can't give you a bonus!'"

Audrey was torn between holding Zephyr back from ripping the mayor a new one and letting him have his way. Because the villagers had "forgotten" that the bandits possessed a Zoid on par with the Shadow Fox, repairs were going to cost almost all of the payment they were to receive. The Fox was in rough shape, the damage on the shoulder even worse off after the strain of close combat.

"I'm sorry, but we don't have the kind of cash you need."

"Well then give us _something_! This is bullshit, old man!"

"I told you that you can salvage all those Zoids!"

"And then you tried to charge us for your help in excavating them!"

"Well, who's fault is it that they're buried in the first place!"

"Fuck you, ya old geezer! You're the one who asked us for help in the first place!"

"Listen here-"

"_Enough!_"

The room got quiet. When Audrey yelled like that, people tended to listen. Especially when she stood like she was, arms crossed, face like the devil himself, the whole nine yards.

"Zephyr, shut up. Have you seen this place? They're broke. They couldn't even afford any basic combat Zoids. And as for you, Mr. Mayor, Zephyr is completely correct that you're being a complete and total ass. Salvaging the enemy Zoids is no problem, but you charging us for excavation is bullshit. So, the happy medium is obviously you helping us for free!"

The mayor looked like he was about to argue, clearly he wasn't one help anyone out. Zephyr grinned, and the mayor had the good sense to look worried.

"Then again, I _do_ have another combat Zoid. A nice one to, though he hasn't seen combat in a while, so he might be a tad rough..."

The threat there was clear, and the mayor paled. Audrey stared at Zephyr, she'd never known him to outright _threaten_ a client. He must be absolutely _pissed_ that Geisterjäger hurt...

"...fine. We'll excavate for free, I'll even have the local mechanics take a look at-"

"That won't be necessary, I fix my own Zoids. Any tools and spare parts you can supply would be welcome, though."

Another nod from the mayor, and that was that. As the mercenary duo left, he sighed. Those two were more dangerous than he'd thought. He'd figured with one heavily damaged Zoid and that decrepit looking Gun Sniper they'd be easier to push around. No such luck there.

"Oh well, there are other ways of dealing with them."

* * *

"What was that all about? I know you care about your Zoids more than is probably healthy, but it's not like you to threaten our clients like that."

"You trust that guy?"

Audrey looked at Zephyr like he was insane. The look on his face was completely serious, and he continued.

"No way this guy is being straight with us. You want me to believe there isn't a single combat Zoid here? Get real, no one makes it this far out in the boonies without at least one. And if that wasn't enough, he fights us over something as simple as helping us excavate some scrap? I'm no buying it, not for a second."

"So... what do you want me to do?"

"Don't let the Gustav out of your sight, Sparks. I'll be bringing Geist and Nacht into a hanger with me, you're welcome to stay with me if you like, but whatever you do, keep in touch."

And with that, he left to get his Zoids battle ready, leaving Audrey standing stunned. It wasn't often that something broke through his happy-go-lucky demeanor, and right then he looked just... furious. It was easy to forget that despite his pleasant attitude, he was still a mercenary. It was his business to survive, and that had honed his instincts to an almost psychic level. If he suspected danger, she wasn't about to refute him.

She also wasn't about to be left alone, so she rushed off after him.

A/N: Tad shorter this time. Don't expect updates to happen this fast all the time, I had fuck-all to do this weekend, and I'm self beta-ing these.

Shadow: Sorry bout your favorite Zoid, I'm a big fan too, but it was time for it go.

randomcat: Thank you for pointing out that error, it has been fixed. I leave out words a lot, and I don't always see the gap, so please bare with me.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 03

Fixing things had always calmed him. There was just something about the act of making something right again that gave him peace. As it was, Zephyr was finding it really difficult to keep calm as he attached the newly repaired armor to Geisterjäger's shoulder. The Zoids shifted carefully to make sure it was on properly, yipping happily to let Zephyr know. He allowed himself a small smirk at his Zoid's exuberance before the feeling struck him again.

"Hey, Zephyr! The excavation team's back!"

Well, there was some good news, at least. Zephyr wandered out in his coveralls to see what they had dug up. It wasn't much. Well, that wasn't really fair to the excavators, they had dug up quite a bit. The problem was that none of it was of much value. Doing the calculations in his head, he figured they had about twelve grand in parts, another thirteen in mostly intact Zoids. The König Wolf would've been worth a lot more, but it had been basically torn apart by Geist.

"Twenty-five thousand... that's not a lot of cash, Sparks."

"Don't call me Sparks, and I know that, but it's what we've got, so make the most of it. At least they didn't charge for the parts to fix up Geist."

After being threatened with Gun Sniper related peril, Zephyr was damn sure they wouldn't.

"Just relax. We knew this job wasn't going to be a gold mine, but we did end up making more than we thought. Besides, when we get back to Illyarius, I've got a surprise for you."

Zephyr narrowed his eyes. Audrey's "surprises" never came without a catch. The last one had involved him running from the police, they had only _just_ managed to get the charges dropped. He shrugged, no use worrying about it right now, they still had to sort out the valuable parts and get them on the Gustav's trailer so they could get out of here.

"Alright, I need a fusion cutter. Audrey, bring the Gustav around and line up the trailer with the excavators' so we can just shift the parts over. Start with the third trailer, if we need more room, go ahead and use Geist's, we can walk alongside the Gustav."

It took the rest of the day, but finally they managed to separate the mangled Zoids from their somewhat-valuable parts. In the end, they had to use Geist's trailer as well as the extra trailer, but that was no big deal. After some deliberation, they had decided to stay on more night in the town before heading out in the morning, Zephyr sleeping in Geist as a precaution. And as the first rays of sunlight crept above the horizon, Geist awoke to a faint sound.

The first mortar ripped through the ceiling and detonated right next to the Gustav, peppering the heavy armor with shrapnel and scaring the hell out of a rapidly waking Audrey. She wasted no time in gunning it, ramming the garage doors and ripping them right off their hinges. Zephyr had woken as well, and he had Geist out the newly opened garage in an instant, keeping pace with the Gustav and hunting for targets. The two set a rapid pace out of town, trying to get as much distance from the garage as possible.

Geist growled as the barrage stopped, two Spino Sapper's coming into view, blocking their exit.

"Heh, so the excavator team is the enemy now, eh?"

Zephyr grinned despite himself, swiveling Geist's Vulcan to bear on the nearest one. Despite their non-combatant status, the Spino Sapper was notorious for their thick armor, and in a pinch that gear could be used to deadly effect. The Spino Sapper currently in his cross-hairs roared, the laser excavator already spinning up. It wasn't given a chance to charge, and it shuddered violently as Geist opened fire, rounds slamming into it and splitting its thick armor plating, shredding the internals and rendering it useless. As it was, the thick armor had taken some time to get through, and the second Spino was already on top of them. It swung its chainsaw wildly, hoping to catch Geist quickly. Geist swayed to the side, then quickly stepped forward, inside the saw's swing, and leveled the Vulcan with the Spino's face. A quick burst of point blank fire turned the cockpit into a charnel house, and the Fox ran on.

"Ha! That was too damn easy. They should've known not to mess with us!"

"It's too early to celebrate, Sparks. Spino Sappers don't mount mortars."

Audrey sunk back into her seat. That meant there was another Zoid out her somewhere, and the smart money was on it being something a great deal heavier armed than a couple of Spino Sappers. No sooner had the thought crossed her mind than another barrage rained down on them, this one heavier than the last. She wasn't worried about herself, the Gustav's armor could shrug off this as easily as a light rain. A glance to the left showed Geisterjäger darting back and forth, evading the falling shells with ease, so they weren't a problem. No, the problem was the trailers, the Zoid parts would get shredded if they were hit directly, and Nachtjäger's armor wouldn't take a hit either.

"Hey, I think we'd better find whatever is trying to kill us before the stuff on my trailers gets slagged."

"Way ahead of you, multisensor is calculating the position now."

Zephyr concentrated back on his console. Using the arc of the shells and their relative velocity, the sensor should be able to give him an approximate location... There! A cliff to the southeast was the most probable location, but the area it was effecting was way to big, which meant...

"Oi, Audrey. I think that there's more than one Zoid firing on us."

"And?"

"I've got an idea."

"Keep up the fire."

Three Dibison units continued bombarding the fleeing Gustav. Their heavy cannon arrays gave them an enormous amount of range, and the mercenaries wouldn't be able to dodge forever. They just had to keep pounding them until they were nothing but scrap metal. The Dibison shifted into a better firing position as the fleeing mercs wove their way into a shallow canyon.

"Heh. Great idea Mr. Mayor, using the mercs to get rid of the bandits, and then getting rid of the mercs. But wouldn't it have been easier to just use the Dibison to get the bandits?"

"Shut up, idiot. So long as the empire doesn't know about these Dibison, we won't need to register for the Combat Zoid Tax. Which means I get to keep the money to better the town. But if those mercenaries get away, they'll surely report that we have them. At the same time, we can't risk them getting away with that kind of cash. So the only solution is to kill them."

"Here they come out of the canyon, still two contacts."

And they would have, had an unfortunate oversight not occurred. They didn't make sure the contacts coming out of the canyon were the same two that went in. As the trio prepared to rain fire down on the fleeing Zoids, the Dibison closest to them found itself missing a rather large chunk of its head, followed shortly by a loud crack of gunfire. The Zoid dropped to the ground with a resounding crash.

"Shit, I forgot about the other Zoid. He's got a Gun Sniper, be care-"

The mayor never got to finish, as a round blew his Dibison's head clean off and reduced his body to a bright mist. The remaining Zoid freaked out, turning to run. It made a few shuddering steps before collapsing, a hole through the side of its head.

The seat of the Gun Sniper rotated back, Zephyr leaning back in the seat with a sigh.

"Well, that went well, now let's meet back up with the others, eh Nacht?"

Audrey waited leaning alongside the Gustav. She checked her watch, it was just about the agreed upon time for him to get here. Geist was just laying in the shade, completely unconcerned. She envied the Zoid for its complete faith in its master. The Fox suddenly sat up, staring intently into the distance. Soon after, the form of the Gun Sniper could be seen, lazily walking towards them, completely unconcerned. As it stepped up onto the trailer, the cockpit opened up so Zephyr could jump out.

"Sorry it took so long, Nacht decided to take the scenic route."

Zephyr decided to ignore the no doubt dirty look the Gun Sniper was probably shooting him. The look on Audrey's face seemed to confirm his hypothesis, so he flipped the Zoid off behind his back as he listened intently to Audrey's lecture on how she'd been worried. Ten minutes and half a dozen apologies later, they were back on the road.

A/N: I'm alive. Amazing, isn't it? As always, please read, enjoy, review, point out any glaring errors to this poor inept author. Flames will be used to fuel the hate machine that is my soul, so feel free to feed the beast. Next chapter could take some time, I have no fucking clue what the city is supposed to look like... Look forward to it.


	5. Chapter 4

*Gasp* Two chapters in as many days! Could it be that... Yep, I've got fuck-all to do again, enjoy.

Chapter 04

"Ah, finally here!"

Audrey just shook her head at Zephyr's sarcastic exuberance. Still, it was nice to be back in the city. Well, not quite _in_ the city yet, hence Zephyr's sarcasm. The line to enter the walls had to be a kilometer long at least, and it wasn't moving anywhere near as quick as they'd have liked. If she turned the Gustav's telescopic sights, she could see the security teams checking papers and ushering people in.

"I wonder what's up?"

Audrey couldn't help but think the same. A quick check through her belongings found their identification forms and Zoid registration papers.

"Hey, I've got you guys' ID, park that thing and come get 'em."

A quick hop out of the Shadow Fox and Zephyr was in the Gustav sorting all his stuff out. He'd managed to change out of his coveralls and get into a black shirt and some khaki cargoes, so at least he wouldn't look like a runaway mechanic. A Gustav next to them had his canopy open, so Zephyr decided to ask what was going on.

"You don't know? It's the Royal Family's youngest's birthday! She's turning three today."

Audrey watched intently as Zephyr went rigid, thanked the man, and closed the canopy. He was white as a sheet when he turned to her, eye's begging her to tell him something to take his mind off of what he had just heard. Fat chance.

"Maybe she's forgotten the whole thing. In any case, you can't hide the whole time you're here, there's no way the guards won't recognize Geist, let alone Nacht. Besides, what exactly did you do, anyway?"

"I'm not going in there, fuck this."

"You are in there, now get back in Geist stay on my tail."

He grumbled, but did as told. As much as he didn't like it, there was no way around it, he had to make the sale on those parts, and line up their next job. Audrey may have talent in talking people up in the countryside, but in the city it was all about business. Zephyr was good at that. With a groan and a small prayer to whatever deity that happened to be listening at the moment, Zephyr put Geist in gear.

It took a lot longer than he'd liked, but they were finally in the city. Skyscrapers all around, small parks dotting the side streets. Zephyr smirked at the sight, Geist lifting a paw to let a car pass underneath. That had taken some getting used to the first time, cars and Zoids sharing the roads. The locals were pretty good natured though, offering advice on how to get through.

"Alright Sparks, let's hit up Joney's to offload those parts, then we'll get some some eats. Sound good?"

"Yeah, and don't call me Sparks."

Geist sniggered along with his pilot as they took a turn at the intersection, heading towards the junk dealer's place.

"Twenty grand for the lot."

"Don't bullshit me, Twenty-three at the least."

"Twenty-one, as high as I'll go."

"You cheap bastard, we both know you'll go higher. Twenty-two."

"Done."

The two shook hands, money was exchanged, and another handshake sealed the transaction. Audrey counted down in her head. Three, two, one...

"Ah, you bastard, how ya been?"

The red-head sighed as the two got reacquainted. It never failed with these two, they couldn't help but be all serious when they had to exchange goods, but as soon as business was finished, they were old friends. Audrey shook her head, a small smile gracing her features. She did like the old junker though. His hair had long gone gray, and he was on the losing side of frailty, but there was a fire and mischievousness in his black eyes that immediately made him likeable. There wasn't a Zoid pilot in the city, probably the country, that could claim to genuinely dislike him.

"So, I'm surprised you're actually here, what with the Family being here an' all."

"Che, don't remind me. As soon as I have a new job lined up and we get some rest, consider me gone."

"As it just so happens, I've been looking for an able-bodied Zoid pilot. You interested?"

"Old man, I could hug you..."

After some more good natured arguing and a promise to come back the next day to hear the job offer, the young mercenaries were off and in search of sustenance. Little did they know they had a four-legged stalker...

"Oh _hell_ yes. Nothing like a bacon cheeseburger followed by a big ol' bowl of chilli after a hard days work."

"Glutton."

Audrey glared daggers at her partner as he studiously ignored her, digging into what she swore was a gallon of molten lava. Seriously, that his throat hadn't spontaneously combusted was a wonder... She sighed as she picked at her parfait.

"In any case, after you're done melting your intestines, where are we staying? All the hotels around here are gonna be full up, and I'm not savoring the idea of sleeping in Gustav while I'm in the city."

"We could always bunk at Ray's-"

"Not gonna happen, so go fuck yourself."

Zephyr sniggered into his bowl. She got mad every time he even mentioned her ex-boyfriend, who just happened to be one his longest standing friends in the city. He did put some serious thought into it though. It was true there weren't gonna be any rooms available, an event this big would have people from all over the country coming. But he didn't want to sleep in the Zoids either.

"We'll figure something out. Eat your dessert so we can go find some place to stay. All else fails the old man'll probably let us crash on the coach or something."

Audrey huffed in annoyance. He was always like this, probably hadn't even given it any thought before they arrived, else he would've remembered it was gonna be a big celebration today, especially with their history...

"I know that look. Stop blaming me for everything and eat your damn ice cream-thing."

She looked up at him sharply. He was leaning back, bowl practically licked clean, with an irritated glare on his face. She knew he didn't want to be in public any longer than needed, especially today. She was about to chew him out when he went turned stiff as a board, face rapidly paling to the verge of translucence. Audrey turned around, eyes blazing with curiosity, and said eyes practically jumped out of their sockets.

Standing at the counter was a goddess of war. The uniform was crisp and clean, medals polished to an almost painful shine, and the gleaming sidearm made clear that she kept it well maintained. But at the same time, her flawless skin, platinum blonde hair, and dark, chocolate made clear that she was a high class woman. One who could kill you with her bare hands, but still... And Zephyr was currently staring at her like she was the Devil himself, eyes getting even wider when she locked eyes with him and smirked. Audrey felt herself shivering in fear despite herself. The beauty walked over to them, sliding in next to Audrey without preamble.

"Hello Zephyr. I'd heard that you were in town."

"Y-Yo, Ellie. H-H-How ya been?"

Audrey almost fainted. He was terrified! Who the hell was this woman, and how in hell did he know her!

"Um, excuse me. Who are you?"

The woman had the courtesy to look startled for a moment, realizing how rude she'd been. She recovered quickly, giving Audrey a smile that any man would've killed to have directed at them. Except for Zephyr, she noted out the corner of her eye, who was eying the exit like it was the promised land.

"Excuse my rudeness, my name is Helen Relenvie, Major. And you would be?"

"Audrey, Audrey Glave. Pleasure to make your- Wait, Relenvie! As in the Royal Family's Relenvie!"

"Oh you know it? That makes this so much easier. It was nice meeting you, Ms. Glave, but we must be going. Zephyr? Stop looking at the exit like that and come with me. There's someone who wants to speak with you."

The woman stood smoothly, taking a firm grasp of Zephyr's arm, who at the moment seemed to be seriously considering cutting said arm off and bolting. Audrey was up in an instant. No one made one of her friends panic like that without a damn good reason.

"I don't think so, Your Highness. My friend and I are looking for a place to stay, we've been on the road for a long time, and we're tired. So if you'll excuse us-"

"Oh, there's no problem. You can stay with us, the Fort has plenty of empty rooms, and there is a spacious hangar for your Zoids. Now, I don't want to have to order you to accompany me, so if you would..."

She let the threat hang. If she ordered them to accompany her, it'd be as good as an arrest. They wouldn't be able to release them from the city until she released them from the order. Audrey looked to Zephyr, seeing the utterly hopeless look on his face. They were as good as fucked, and they both knew it.

"...fine. But I'm not gonna like you for this in morning, Helen."

She looked slightly hurt to hear Zephyr using her full name, but it was only right for him to do so. She was using her authority to force him to do as she said, and he was making it clear that he didn't approve. But he'd understand in a bit.

The Fort, as it was known to pretty well everyone, was a combination royal palace and military base. The walls were thick, the gun turrets always hunting for targets, and the interior was luxurious. As expected of the premier post in the country.

All this was lost on our mercenary duo, one of whom was cursing his existence and trying to convince himself that everything was going to be fine, while the other was wondering what the hell her partner had actually _done_ to deserve this kind of treatment. They were escorted by Helen and a small entourage of guards. A heavily guarded door beckoned, and a terse exchange of codewords later, they were inside. It was in this room that Audrey almost died for the first time.

"Zephyr!"

Said pilot was immediately bowled over by a small bundle of royalty, as the youngest member of the Family tackled him. He uttered a small grunt of pain, but couldn't stop the smile on his face. Audrey, meanwhile, was trying _really_ hard to catch her breath, as she laughed hard enough to fall flat on her back.

"Hey, Mary! Happy birthday!"

The little girl squealed happily as Zephyr lifted her up above his head, spinning her around and around, her curly, dark blonde hair bouncing around as her bright red eyes danced with excitement. Marian Relenvie, youngest daughter in the Royal Family, snuggled up to Zephyr tightly, a smile of pure contentment on her angelic face.

"I missed you, Zephyr! Why did you leave?"

"I had to, you know that. But I promised I'd visit, didn't I?"

The little girl nodded, frowning slightly. She didn't like it, not one bit.

"Don't worry, Mary. You aren't the only one who he promised to see and never did."

Zephyr froze, and Mary squirmed out of his arms, dancing away to stand next to Helen. Zephyr slowly turned to the owner of the new voice. It belonged to a girl about his age and height. Her dark red eyes were locked onto Zephyr's, and there was no joy in them, only anger. She stalked forward, light brown hair trailing slightly behind, the curls in it bouncing with every step. She stopped right in front of Zephyr, arms crossed and glare in full force. The young pilot could only gulp and grin sheepishly.

"Been a while, Jules."

"Don't call me Jules."

Yeah, this was going _great_.

A/N: Yeah, bet no one saw _that_ coming. Why's Zephyr in with the royal family? Who the fuck knows, I'm writing this with almost no planning whatsoever. Live in fear of my next "Because it's my damn story" moment. As to the city, I purposely left it vague because, really, why go into a fuckton of detail right now? Let you guys build your own city. And yes, Zephyr has been wearing his coveralls the whole damn time until now. Because we all have something that we're super comfortable in, and wouldn't change out of it if we had to. I know I do, and y'all are lying if you say you don't. 'Till next time, hopefully the wait will be as short as this one.

…Yeah, who am I kidding.


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 05

randomcat: Not quite, this chapter should clear some of that up. And the family reunion, well... No comment.

The staring contest had gone on for another couple of minutes before a small voice broke the silence.

"Uh oh, Julia and Zephyr are fighting again..."

The two named individuals continued to stare, before Zephyr finally broke the deadlock, closing his eyes and sighing.

"Jules, listen-"

"I said don't call me Jules."

"Fine. _Julia_, listen, I know we parted on bad terms, but-"

"_On bad terms!_ You just up and left! You lived here for _two years_, I thought of you as family, and you just _left_! And then you come in, calling me _Jules_ like nothing happened!"

Zephyr winced, but not because she was yelling in his face. He couldn't refute any of it. He had lived with them for two long, wonderful years. He'd celebrated their birthdays, hell he'd been there when Mary was born! And he'd left, without telling a soul. He couldn't look her in the eye, not when she glared at him like that, eyes looking like she couldn't decide whether to throttle him or cry. He couldn't face her when he knew he'd hurt her like that.

Audrey just stared. If she'd every yelled right into Zephyr's face, he'd have shouted right back, probably pushed her for good measure. That's how he was, what made him Zephyr. And yet, here he was, unable to even look this girl in the eye like some scolded child. And her, looking like she was going to cry any second now, right after she murdered him. What the hell was going on with these people!

"...saying 'I'm sorry' would probably make me sound like an ass, huh?"

"Yeah, it would. How 'bout the reason you left."

"...I can't answer that."

"Can't or won't?"

She glared at him harder, anger growing by the second, and he looked away again. He couldn't give her the answer she was looking for. There was no sudden need for him to leave, no conspiracy to force him from the household. He'd just felt the urge to leave, and he did. How could he explain that to her and not have her hate him for it?

"As I thought, you're to much of a coward to give me a reason."

Zephyr's shamed look shattered, replaced by burning anger in an instant, and he glared right back, startling her momentarily.

"What do you want, Julia! You want me to tell you that I was forced out of the house? Cause I wasn't. I felt the urge to leave, so I did. You think it was easy? You think I didn't think about you guys every fucking day? Guess what _Princess_, I did. I have missed you all for so long it hurts. I come back, and so I'm a little reluctant. I didn't want to see you on a day that you _should_ be celebrating, I didn't want to ruin it with harsh feelings. And as soon as I see you, after _three fucking years_, you don't even _try_ to ask why I left! Fuck you."

There were no goodbyes said after that, Zephyr stormed out the room, ignoring shocked looks from the guards, some of whom looked as if about to draw their weapons. But Audrey was watching Julia. She was frozen in place, her eyes wide as saucers, tears gathering at the corners, waiting to overflow. Then suddenly, she was gone, running of to her bedroom, sobbing the whole way. Helen sighed.

"Well, that could have gone better. Well, Ms. Glave, I suppose I ought show you to your room, no doubt you've had enough excitement for one day."

Audrey just nodded numbly, following Helen wordlessly. It would take a while to think about what she'd just witnessed, and something told her it was going to effect her sleep tonight.

Geist slept soundly in the hangar. Surrounded by Zoids of all kinds as he was, he had no doubt he could take anyone of them down, even the mighty Gojulas Giga in the corner. And all because of his master, nestled soundly in the cockpit, wrapped in his blanket and music, dead to the world.

A small sound in front of his nose woke the Zoid, optics powering on slowly. A girl stood in front of him, a heavily ornamented nightgown wrapping her frame loosely. She stared up at the Zoid, her dark red eyes confused and worried. The Zoid shifted slightly, careful not to startle her or wake his master. The girl walked slowly forward, coming to a halt in front of his muzzle, and slowly reached forward, hesitantly. Geist sensed her indecision and closed the gap himself, warm hand meeting cool metal.

"I guess you remember me, Geist."

Geist growled softly, of course he did. She smiled then, moving forward a bit more so as to rub his nose. Geist growled low in appreciation, enjoying her touch. At her questioning glance, Geist opened the cockpit hatch slowly, revealing his master.

Julia smiled softly, he hadn't changed at all. Whenever they had a fight, she could always find him here, wrapped in a blanket with his headphones blaring. She could hear the faint notes of the guitars he always said he wanted to learn how to play, and reached forward slowly. She rubbed her hands through his hair softly, and he hummed in his sleep.

"Welcome back, Zephyr."

Zephyr woke slowly, music still blaring in his ears. The rhythmic hum from Geist told him the Zoid was still asleep, lazy Fox. The white haired mercenary reached up to take his music out his ears, only to discover his arm pinned. Then he looked down. And almost fainted.

"...no more..."

Julia was curled up on top of him, clingy as ever. Zephyr smiled and shook his head, she would never change. Demanding he acknowledge her as his older sister, then curling up next to him like a little girl. He shifted to a slightly more comfortable position, chuckling at her as she grumbled in her sleep. A change in the rhythm of the humming from the Zoid told him the Geist was waking up, no doubt the Zoid would get a kick out of this.

"Guess I'm forgiven, huh?"

Geist sniggered. Julia didn't answer, but then, she didn't really need to.

Audrey awoke to the marvelous smells of a real, home cooked breakfast in bed. Eggs over easy, perfectly cooked, with thin slices of ham and a biscuit. And setting it all up on the table in her room was...

"Yo, how'd ya sleep?"

Audrey blinked. What the hell was Zephyr doing in her room? But the there he was, reclining in a chair by the table, watching her with an amused grin on his face.

"Ya know, I worked hard on all this. The least you could do is eat while it's still hot."

She blinked lazily, slowly getting out of bed. Zephyr just thanked his lucky stars she was wearing her pajamas, who knows what she'd have done to him if she were sleeping "in the buff," as she did whenever they got a hotel. He shook his head at the memory, he _really_ hadn't needed to know that little bit of information. He looked up to see her digging in with gusto, inflating his ego just a tad. He was a damn good cook when he wanted to be.

"So, why are you here? And what's up with the nice breakfast, not that I mind."

"Heh, figured I'd see how you were doing, you were kind of in a perpetual state of "What the fuck" yesterday. Consider this an apology for putting you through that."

She laughed, and he took that as a good sign. After that, there was nothing left to say, and they sat in companionable silence as she finished.

A/N: New chapter, new questions, too much damn fluff. If I don't write something violent soon I may go ballistic. Anyway, thanks for the reviews, and, as always, please continue to read and enjoy. And yes, short as all hell.


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 06

Shadow: A little fluff now and then is fine, but I figure if I haven't killed someone in two chapters I'm doing it wrong.

The two mercenaries walked the halls of the Fort, eager to be on their way. Of course, they couldn't just leave, not after their hosts had so graciously allowed them to stay the night. So, they found themselves wandering the halls, searching for their patrons.

"...ya know, this whole 'changing the meeting room every other day' is bullshit. Where the hell are they?"

"You don't remember where the meeting rooms are? You lived here for two years!"

"The meeting rooms get relocated every year!"

The two bickered back and forth as they checked the rooms. They'd been wandering aimlessly for the past half hour, searching seemingly in vain for the meeting room so that they could say goodbye. Needless to say, they were getting frustrated. They were about to leap at each other's throats when a servant approached.

"You are looking for the meeting room? Right this way, if you please."

The two just stood there for a moment, utterly flabbergasted.

"...well, I guess that proves it, we're idiots."

"Speak for yourself, I suggested asking twenty minutes ago."

A fist in the gut was all he got for his troubles.

"Ahhh, do you have to?"

Zephyr was currently cursing whichever deity had seen fit to give Mary both an angels voice and super powered puppy dog eyes. The combination was killing him, and he wanted nothing more than to assure her he would visit, but he knew better than that. It was likely that he wouldn't see them for quite a while. He crouched down to be eye level with her, giving her a pat on the head.

"I promise you'll see me again. I can't say when, but you will."

She pouted and threw herself forward, hugging him tightly and stubbornly refusing to let go. Zephyr put up with it for a time, before gently but firmly prying her off and standing.

"Well, I'll be going then, Jules, Ellie."

The two stood, composed and passive, and so Zephyr bowed slightly before turning around and leaving the room. He knew they weren't angry this time, he'd said goodbye. And they all knew he'd be back.

"Surprise!"

Audrey smiled wide at the look of sheer awe on Zephyr's face as he gazed at the spectacle before him. Nacht looked quite pleased as well as the engineers fitted him with his new equipment.

"...you got me a Wild Weasel Unit..."

"Yep! I knew that you've wanted one for a while, but we haven't really been able to afford one recently. So, I figured I'd do something nice and call some of my old contacts to keep an eye out for a relatively intact one and see if they could fix it up!"

He was silent for a while, long enough to worry Audrey. Had he changed his mind? Was he upset that she was messing with his Zoid without permission. With every second that passed with no noise from him, her anxiety rose higher and higher, until...

"...I'm trying very hard not to hug you until your eyes pop out of their sockets..."

Audrey breathed a huge sigh of relief. Still, Zephyr was Zephyr, and it wasn't long until he was in among the crew, adjusting this and that to his satisfaction. She smiled softly, watching him run about trying to get everything to his exacting specifications. Honestly, he was like a child in some respects...

"Oi, be careful with that, dammit!"

It was always quiet in the desert surrounding the capital. A lizard sunbathed on a boulder, king of his domain. Until its domain was obliterated in storm of gunfire.

"Yes! I love this thing! How ya feelin', Nacht?"

Nacht roared in delight, fully agreeing with his pilot at the moment. The Wild Weasel Unit was the best present he'd ever gotten. Period.

"I'm glad you two like it, now both of you idiots get back here, we've got a job."

Zephyr noted a certain spring in Nacht's step as he practically _pranced_ back to the trailer. Geist sniggered when the raptor leapt up onto the trailer, Zephyr quickly jumping out of the cockpit and hopping into the Gustav.

"I don't think I've ever seen Nacht that happy... It's a little frightening, actually..."

"Oh don't be such a worrier, I've got a job that you'll absolutely love."

"Well, out with it Sparks."

He leaned out of the way of her answering swat.

"Don't call me Sparks. It's a convoy job, we're guarding a shipment of supplies going to a town on the edge of national territory. It got hit by an earthquake, so they need this stuff pronto, we're actually going to meet the convoy on the move."

"Any help?"

"They've hired three other mercs, and the convoy has a few guards with it already."

Zephyr stared at her suspiciously. There was something weird about that statement.

"This seems like a little too much security for a simple relief convoy."

"The earthquake hit a couple of bandit hideouts in the area, they're worried that they might attack in force if they need the supplies for themselves."

Zephyr sighed, thumping his head back against the headrest.

"There's always a catch..."

"You know it."

A/N: Ya, I know. It's shorter than most, and should not have taken me this long. I'm currently proofreading my Naruto fic, which has gone too damn long without an update. Consider this an "I'm no quite dead yet" post, but I hope you enjoy it all the same. Violence guaranteed next chapter. Mwahahahahaha.


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 07

A convoy is an interesting thing. It's the single easiest way to transport a large amount of supplies to a remote area, and yet is also the single biggest payday for any bandits or groups of thieves with the skills to take it. You could say that a convoy is a true "Hail Mary pass" in this respect. But none of this goes through the minds of the two mercenaries that have just caught up with a convoy of their own. No, the singular thought in their minds is...

"Oh, this is going to fucking suck, majorly."

"You don't know that. Maybe it isn't as-"

"'As bad as it looks?' Open your eyes, Sparks, and tell me we aren't royally screwed, boned, and otherwise fucked."

Audrey looked back to the convoy.

"...We're fucked."

"'Told ya."

The convoy in question was a group of three Gustavs, trudging along in single file with trailers. Surrounding them was the guard detail. Or what amounts to one. Four Arosaurers trotted alongside, one of them in a garish color scheme that immediately identified it as a mercenary's machine, the rest of them looking like they'd seen better days. Darting in and around the formation was a Helcat, and judging by the horrible array on its back, they'd replaced the guns with a high-powered sensor suite. And moving along with shuddering footsteps in the rearguard, was a Gojulas. Normally, this would cause for celebration, but closer examination revealed the Zoid to be in serious need of maintenance, the ancient giant being held together by nothing short of prayer. Up front in the formation was the most reliable looking Zoid of the bunch, a Dark Horn, moving steadily and looking unstoppable.

But all of this was not the cause for their thoughts. No, for even with this measly security, if the cargo wasn't valuable, no one would attack it. Sadly, the cargo was, in fact, very valuable. For in addition to the expected supplies of food, construction materials, Zoid parts, and other things necessary for rebuilding after a natural disaster, was a Zoid. An Elephander, sitting pretty and looking like new on the middle trailer of the second Gustav, placing it dead center in the convoy.

"Yep, we are totally fucked."

"I can't thank ye enough for helping us out."

"Really, it's no problem, so long as we get paid."

Zephyr let Audrey talk with the convoy leader, the group having stopped for the night. He wandered over to the Gojulas, practiced eyes running over its frame, spotting no less than thirty possibly fatal faults in it. It shifted to eye him quizzically, growling softly in greeting, which he responded to with a smirk and a nod.

"Beauty, ain't he?"

The young mercenary turned to regard the speaker, an older looking guy in an old pair of fatigues, giving a slightly less friendly look than he should have. But, well, Zephyr wasn't one for social niceties.

"I'm sure he was, at one point. Right now, he's a scrap heap waiting to happen. When was the last time a mechanic even _looked_ at him?"

The man looked a little put off, then gazed at the Zoid, a sad look in his eyes.

"Ya got me there. Truth is, the security office hasn't taken real good care of the old boy, in fact, they were planning on scrapping him. But, I convinced them that he's still got some fight in him, so if he can just make it through this job, he's mine. After that, I have no doubts that it'll be a few months of overhauls to get him back in shape. Still, it'll be worth it, in the end."

Zephyr continued his surface inspection while the man was talking, finding flaw after flaw, problem after problem. The probability of this Zoid moving in the morning was in the single digits, of it surviving the job to get an overhaul...

"I'm a mechanic, let me see what I can do..."

"Hey, Gideon, check out the kid."

Gideon glanced at his partner before looking in the direction he had pointed. He chuckled ruefully as he watched the white haired mercy darting to and fro, looking like an ant on the bulk of the Gojulas.

"He's certainly enthusiastic. But is he any good?"

"'Name's Zephyr. I've heard of him before, he's got a knack for close combat apparently. They normally operate further out near the border, so that's all I've got. Still, that Shadow Fox of his looks pretty sweet, and his Gun Sniper's got a Wild Weasel Unit for some heavy firepower."

"Well then, let's go say hi."

Zephyr was standing at the Gojulas's foot when it happened, a sudden tingle that told him to move. He ducked to the side, narrowly avoiding the giant fist that ripped through the air where his head had been but a moment before. Not being given a chance to recover, another was soon hurtling towards his chest, but he manage to jump back out of range just in time. Zephyr yanked his combat knife out of its sheath as he sized up his opponent. The man was huge, easily seven feet tall, and looked to be made of solid muscle. The vaguely crazed look on his face wasn't helping.

"Any chance this is a misunderstanding?"

An answering fist dispelled any notion of talking him down, so Zephyr got serious. Ducking under a hook that probably would have broke his neck, he quickly scooped a handful of sand into his left hand and spun, sweeping his knife towards the giant's throat. The crazed man took a hasty step back and got a handful of sand in the face for his troubles. In that moment, instinct caused him to bring both hands up to wipe his eyes, and instinct also caused him to freeze when he felt the cold prick of the knife at his back.

"Now that we understand each other, let's chat, hmm?"

"Nice moves, now ease off with the knife."

Zephyr glanced to his right and sighed. A shifty looking guy was standing completely at ease, lazily pointing a gun in Zephyr's direction.

"Really? You're backing the crazy fuck that attacked me outta the blue?"

"Well, he's a buddy of mine, that's just his way of saying hello. Now, if there's nothing else..."

"Just one little thing. Geist."

The gunman just about shit himself when Geist slammed his paw down right next him, growling long and low, a message that just _screamed_ "Move and I will fucking _kill you_."

"Rule one of street fighting dipshit, always have backup. Now drop the gun, I'll let go of the big guy, and we can have a nice chat, alright? Otherwise, Geist will turn you into a smear on the ground and I'll give this dude open heart surgery."

The standoff lasted less than a second before the guy dropped his gun. He clearly wasn't an idiot. Zephyr, in turn, returned his knife to it's sheath with a quick spin and flick, though he kept his hand close to it. The giant turned around slowly, his face blank. Then he smiled.

"Been a while since anyone got me our right like that. 'Names Gideon Truv."

"Zephyr. You greet everyone like that then?"

"Only mercs I don't recognize."

"Well, now that you two are all friendly like, I think I'll just wander on back to my bedroll. G'night."

Zephyr watched him go, somewhat perplexed at the turn of events.

"Eh, that's just how Tom works. You get used to him. Well, I just wanted to make sure you weren't going to sink us in a fight, that doesn't look like it'll be a problem though, so I'm gonna go hit the sack as well."

With both of them gone, Zephyr just looked up to the sky, with one simple question.

"What the fuck just happened?"

Morning came, and the group started mounting up, getting into formation, and generally just getting ready. Zephyr and Geist took their place towards the rear, the Fox's speed and maneuverability would allow it to assist anywhere in a matter of moments. Audrey had inserted the Gustav into the line, splitting some of the supplies on the empty trailers to lighten the loads on the other Gustavs, while Nacht stood ready on his trailer, tie-downs removed, acting as a turret of sorts.

"...and that's pretty well all I could do. Your Supercannons aren't gonna rip themselves of their mounts, but the left claw has some major hydraulic problems. You'll probably only get about sixty-percent power to it, so keep that in mind."

"I appreciate you taking a look, kid. Don't worry about me, so long as these guns work no one'll get close enough for me to need my claws."

Zephyr leaned back in his seat, idly scratching his head. Maybe the job wouldn't be so bad. Maybe the fates wouldn't decide to shit in his lap.

"Maybe I'll give birth to flying pig..."

And, as if his irritated mumbling pissed them off, the fates decided to, at that precise moment, shit in his lap.

"Enemy attack! Return fire on the left!"

And it was a big one.

A/N: I promised violence, I never said it would be Zoids. Mwahaha! And, now that we know Zephyr can kick your ass, there will be my first big battle next chapter, and people and Zoids are going to die. Mmmmm...

Small update for those that read my other currently updating(yeah, I know...) story, I'm really trying hard to get a new chapter up by the end of the week. For updates on all my stuff, you can check my LiveJournal, delkion . livejournal . com, no spaces obviously. There you'll find updates, sneak peeks, and mindless drivel. While you're there, feel free to drop me a comment, ask a question, whatever, I check every other day or so.


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 08

randomcat: You must understand his mindset, he's a Zoid's fanatic, and his life may well depend on that Gojulas. Yeah he's gonna fix it.

Shadow: And the wait is over!

One moment, the cliff face was as barren as the rest of the place, the next it was swarming with enemy Zoids. A veritable hurricane of gunfire rained down on the convoy, raining down from the dozens of Godos and Heldigunners. Geist howled as machine gun fire tore at his armor before leaping away and returning fire with his Vulcan. Zephyr swore explosively, jerking the control yoke around to skip Geist away from a patch of heavy fire.

"Fuck! Audrey, you and the convoy keep moving, don't fucking stop! Nacht, light 'em up!"

Nachtjäger roared in glee at his master's order, opening fire on the enemy. Immediately, one of the Godos seemed to shudder and jerk, then came apart at the seams as the stream of heavy fire from Nacht tore it apart. Moments later, a large section of the cliff erupted as an earth-shattering roar sounded. The Gojulas swung its bulk around to aim at another group, the Supercannons readying for a second shot. Up at the head of the convoy, Gideon in his Dark Horn were raking the enemy line, the Zoid's heavy armor scratched and dented but so far hadn't been breached. The Arosaurer escorts were running with the convoy as well, stopping every so often to send bursts of fire into the enemy's line.

"Zephyr! There's more up ahead, cut 'em off!"

Zephyr didn't reply, intent on guiding Geist through the web of fire. Geist yowled that they had heard, however, and bounded around to head out in front of the convoy, Vulcan chattering all the while. Zephyr glanced up at the cliff just as a stream of Vulcan fire tore through a Godos's torso, the mangled wreck falling over the edge and crashing into the ground. It wasn't pretty, but they were doing it. They were surviving.

Audrey was freaking out. The old man had promised her this would be simple. It was clearly anything but, and it was quickly spiraling into complete clusterfuck territory. A glance at her rear camera showed Nacht still unloading unholy amounts of ordinance on the enemy, his armor scratched and dinged, but so far nothing major. Then Geist ran past, and she gasped. He was a mess. Armor pitted and scratched, paint stripped, there wasn't a single inch of the Zoid that was unscathed. She'd never seen him this beat up, and just knew it had to be breaking Zephyr's heart...

"Zephyr..."

"Damn... Geist, you okay?"

The Fox yipped, though he wasn't happy. The guard on the left paw was gone, and his right rear hip armor was almost completely gone. Zephyr growled at the damage report flashing on his screen, and glared up at the line of enemy Zoids. They had destroyed line after line of them, but no matter how many they took down, more replaced them. A quick check of his allies had him using every oath in his considerable inventory. One of the guard Arosaurers had been left behind, its legs mangled, and the other's were in pretty bad shape. Even the Helcat had taken some hits, the sensor-array had been reduced to a pile of scrap and the optical camouflage sputtered on and off. The Gojulas was even worse than it had been, only its sheer mass allowing it to take the horrendous amount of fire that had been focused on it, one of the Supercannons having been shorn off. The Dark Horn had even lost it's horn, and the guns were firing considerably slower due to internal damage.

"All right, no more fuckin' around. Oi, Nacht! Lock down and disengage weapon safeties, fuck these bastards up! Old man, focus on the groups, don't waste your shots, for fucks sakes. Whoever's in that damn cat, get the hell gone and get some help, you're useless here. The rest of you, and I know this is somewhat redundant, keep fucking shooting! I've got some ideas."

It wasn't like anyone had any better ideas. Nacht once more roared in delight as his claws clamped down on his trailer, safeties disengaged, and he unleashed hell. Total Assault. The air seemed to suddenly fill with shells as the Wild Weasel Unit more than doubled it's firing rate, and Zoids all along the cliff shuddered and screamed as they were torn to shreds, Nacht screaming his bloody joy the entire time. A group just out of his field of fire turned to focus their fire when that section of cliff exploded, sending one unlucky Heldigunner tumbling to its demise and simply destroying the rest. The Gojulas shifted it's attention to the next group untouched by the sadistic little raptor, never once letting up with its other guns. A second crash sounded as it fired again. The remaining defenders continued firing, focusing on the areas that the Gun Sniper couldn't keep suppressed as the Gustavs continued on, hope slowly returning. As all this was happening, the Shadow Fox was sprinting towards a ledge leading up the cliff face. If he could get in and among them, he could do some serious damage.

"Alright Geist, let's show these guys who they're messing with."

The Fox howled, racing up the ledge towards the unsuspecting victims above. And just as Nacht's barrage died down, guns steaming as the water-cooling system struggled to get them back to managable temperatures, the Fox leaped into the fray, claws glowing with murderous light and Vulcan chattering endlessly. Oh, it was outnumbered, certainly. And sure, it really wasn't meant for a frontal assault. But well, Zephyr was fucking pissed, and his anger lent itself to his ability to fuck everything in sight up. Geist seemed to grin in berserker delight at the carnage as he struck out again and again, his glowing claws grinding and smashing as his Vulcan rotated randomly, sowing death like a scythe in a wheat field. And that's what he had become for all intents and purposes, an avatar of death, the Grim Reaper himself. A sight so fearsome that several pilots balked at the idea of facing him, trying to get away. Geist didn't get away unscathed, however, and rounds slammed into him at a rapid pace, his armor rapidly becoming pocked and cratered, only his constant state of movement keeping them from tearing him apart.

"Atta' boy, Geist, let's rip these fucks a new one."

A new wave of fire came from below, Nacht's Wild Weasel Unit having cooled enough to initiate a second Total Assault. Every so often a group on the edge would disappear in a cloud of dust as the Gojulas fired again. Between the storm of death coming from below and the Grim Reaper in their midst, the raiders were having a time of it trying to steal the cargo. And the canyon was starting to shallow out, open land approaching at the end of the corridor. And as that wondrous sight came into view, a sight that chilled them to the bone appeared as well. With a rapidly forming orb of destructive energies forming in it's maw, the sun striking a sharp glare off of its dark hide, the Genosaurer roared in triumph as it fired the Charged Particle Gun.

A/N: Oh snap! I have finally brought in one of my all time faves, the almighty Genosaurer is here! And Nacht has finally shown his true colors, the sadistic little bastard... I love him so.

Now, I am a member of a Zoids RP site known as Zoids Wild Frontiers. We're a small community, but we all have a good time. However, since the winter months, its been a tad slow getting really and truly active again, and so I would like to ask that anyone who really and truly loves Zoids check the site out, make a character, and just go nuts. I have actually used many of their battles as a reference for the ones in my fics, balancing Zoid awesomeness with plain and simple common sense. The staff is friendly and always willing to lend a hand, and are ready and waiting for any newcomers. If you have any questions about the site, just drop the site admin a line, or you can always ask me, my screen name is Zephyr. Thank you, and I hope you have enjoyed the story so far.

Cause next chapter I throw a fucking monkey wrench into the works. Yeah, and you thought Genosaurer was the monkey wrench.


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter 09

Audrey vowed that if she lived through this she would buy Zephyr any Zoid part he wanted as she slammed her Gustav to the right. As soon as she had spied the Genosaurer, she had quickly passed the lead Gustav on its left side, and now was positioned side-on in front of it. Directly in the Genosaurer's line of fire. And fire it did, the beam of destructive energies lancing forward, ready to destroy any hope of the convoy making it into town. Then it met Audrey's Gustav. See, about a year prior, Audrey had complained that her Gustav wouldn't stand a chance against a highly focused assault. She had bitched about it so long that Zephyr had reinforced every little piece, just to shut her up. Back to the present, the blast of charged particles slammed into the armored side of Audrey's Gustav and was stymied. The additional reinforcements absorbed the kinetic energy and dispersed the heat, melting only the top layer of armor. The impact still rocked Audrey in her seat, and she heard Nacht squawk in indignation as the impact shook his trailer. She spied tracers zipping towards the Geno, Nacht having decided it was bigger threat than the Zoids atop the canyon, as she reached for the radio.

"Zephyr! There's a Genosaurer down here, and it ain't friendly. We need you _now_!"

Only white noise answered her, as the steady chatter of Nacht's guns sounded endlessly, Audrey felt her chest constrict. She looked up at the Geno, and saw it charge once again. For all of Nacht's firepower, at this distance they were simply to far away for him to make a difference. She imagined she could hear the low whine as the volatile energies built up in it's maw, reaching there peak as the Geno hunched just a tad, preparing to fire. She closed her eyes, knowing that even if the Gustav could take the second shot, the Genosaurer would simply keep firing. She readied herself for the impact... And heard the howl.

Claws shining with golden light, Geisterjäger pounced on the Genosaurer from atop the canyon, the impact knocking it aside and sending the beam to crash into the canyon side, causing a small rock slide as the wall was liquified. The Geno wasn't going down without a fight, slamming into the Fox with it's tail and sending it tumbling. The dinosaur opened fire with all guns, hoping to hammer the Shadow Fox, but the wily Fox wasn't having any of that slipping under the incoming fire and slamming into the Geno once again, the fight rapidly devolving into an all out brawl. Audrey felt relief for a bare instant before she really took a look at the Shadow Fox. She gasped at the extent of damage it had taken.

The once proud, almost regal looking Shadow Fox now looked more like mangy stray. Not an inch of armor was untouched, and what remained was scratched and pitted, battered and torn. It lacked armor on the entire left side of its body, only the shoulders having any protection at all. The right rear claw was cracked to the breaking point, and the Vulcan was gone, only the sparking base remaining. But still it fought on, like the wounded animal it was, its vulnerability giving way to desperation and rage. She watched transfixed as the often gentle Zoid slammed a glowing claw into the Genosaurer's head, snapping half of its teeth out, following up with a vicious shoulder slam straight to the Geno's chest, no doubt rattling the pilot inside. So engrossed in this primal battle was she that she hardly noticed when the bombardment started.

It was quick, it was brutal, it was awe inspiring. A line of Storm Sworders streaked along the canyon for an instant, the bombs they had dropped impacting just after they had vanished. And a second after that, they the top of the canyon erupted into a firestorm from hell. Just after that, the Royal Military streaked in and destroyed everything that was left. Audrey didn't even notice this until she heard something tapping at her cockpit. She turned to see what it was and just about fainted. The ivory organoid regarded her curiously, most likely wondering why she'd gone completely stiff. Still, so long as it got its mistress's message through, it really didn't care. So, without preamble, the ghostly looking raptor stuck its head _through_ the cockpit and dropped a data stick on the seat, retreating with a satisfied nod. And then, in a bolt of white light, it was gone. After a small amount of debate, and wondering why the hell the canyon was on fire, she decided to insert the data stick into her console. A second later, her radio frequency changed and a cheerful voice emerged from the speakers.

"Hey, Audrey! It's Julia, Julia Relenvie. I forgot to give you guys something, and well, saw you were in trouble so I figured I'd have my escort help you out!"

Just seconds later, the ground shook as a Liger dropped down from the sky right next to the Guysack. The mighty Liger Zero Falcon Armor Mass Production Type, a rare and powerful beast, shook itself loose and roared, shaking the very stones of the earth. And popping up on the short-wave was a quite pleased looking Julia.

"Hehe, you like? He was in the shop while you guys were in town, otherwise I'd have introduced you. Say hello, Rayson."

The Liger bowed with a soft growl, and Audrey gave a little wave. A rock rebounding off the cockpit window returned her to the situation at hand. Even as injured as it was, the Genosaurer was far from done. The raging dinosaur was currently digging its claws deep into the Fox's shoulders, heaving and trying to wrench them from the Zoid's sockets. Not satisfied with that, it was also digging its remaining fangs into the back of Geist's neck. But the Shadow Fox was far from complacent, slamming his still glowing claws into anything he could reach. Those claws were not built to retain charge as long as they had, and were sparking and sputtering, on the verge of overload. In the struggle, Zephyr had bumped his radio, and everyone on the field could hear him swearing and urging Geist on. Their struggle continued for what seemed like forever, no one else willing to interfere with their duel. Then, Zephyr's voice filled the cockpit through the speaker.

"Now."

Geist exploded into action. With a visious howl he wrenched his head to the side, ripping the Genosaurer's teeth out of his neck, along with a large chunk of his armor. The Fox immediately capitalized on his opponent's surprise, lunging upwards and burying his on teeth in the Geno's throat. Another twist brought the writhing Zoid to the ground, and Geist laid into it with savage abandon, ignoring the Genosaurer's thrashing and just slamming his paws into its chest, again and again. Then, after several seconds of battering the downed Zoid, Geist wrenched his head upwards with all his strength. The terrible sound of tearing metal sounded loud and clear throughout the canyon as Geist tore the Genosaurer's head clear off. But that wasn't good enough for the enraged Shadow Fox, and he brought his paw down once more, crushing the cockpit.

Audrey just watched, a small sting of fear filling her as she watched Geisterjäger howling in triumph, celebrating his savage victory. It wasn't often that she really thought about just how powerful, how dangerous Zoids could be. Sitting there at that moment, watching Geist howling, it was easy to remember that for all the gentleness he exhibited towards his friends, he was just as capable of tearing his enemies literally limb from limb. That in order to aid his friends, in order to survive, Zephyr would loose this monster hidden deep inside his best friend. And gods help anyone who got in its way.

A/N: Alright, first big battle scene, complete! I'm happy. I hope you're happy too. This fic ain't over, of course, but this is the first milestone.

Now, I too have a small question. Bio Zoids. Personally, I love 'em, the Bio Spinosaurus is one of my favorite Zoids (Check the wiki if you haven't seen it, its fucking awesome.) and I do have an idea as to how to use them, but I'm having a small problem as to how to insert them believably into the story. I mean, it would be easy to go the way of Gintama and just having a job revolving around them, but I love them so much I want them to have a bigger part of the story. That being said, they also aren't going to be a main theme. I just want them to be more of a recurring character, if that makes any sense. However, as much as I love them, I'm not going to force them into the story. So, I suppose my question is, how much do you guys like the Bio Zoids, and how much do you want to see them? Keep in mind that I will be changing a few things about them, but for story purposes I won't reveal them hear. If you guys want them, I'll try my damnedest to get them in, if not, I'd still like to get them in if I could, but I won't try that hard.


	11. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

"Get this fucking thing off me!"

Audrey sighed. He'd been complaining about the cast nonstop for the last three days. In all the tumbling against the Genosaurer, he'd been thrown around and broken his left arm and two of his ribs. The injuries would heal, modern technology was amazing, but it would be at least a week before he regained enough use of his arm to pilot. And it was killing him.

"Calm the hell down, it's only another week. You'll be fine."

"But I have to fix Geist and Nacht, they're just sitting around in that trashed state!"

She could give him that. His utter refusal to let anyone else fix his Zoids had backfired, and neither Zoid had been repaired. Nacht had gotten off relatively light, a few plates would need to be replaced and his left gatling had been rendered useless. It was Geist that had him in a state. The Shadow Fox was being held together by sheer stubbornness, and it was tearing Zephyr apart that he couldn't do anything to fix him with his arm in a cast. She had to admit, seeing the Fox in that state was killing her too, but if he wouldn't relent, there was nothing to do about it.

"I told you I'd take him in for repairs, the bare minimum at least. Zephyr, he can't stay like that, it's driving you crazy to look at him. And it's not fair to him to leave him like that because of your own wants. Please."

The pilot settled back, his face downcast. He looked defeated, and Audrey hated having to guilt him into it, but it was for their own good. He nodded, looking out the window. She just left quietly, she wouldn't insult him further by lingering.

(This is a goddamn linebreak because seems to dislike the ones that I put in the story in the word processor. Someone should really check that out, it's kinda annoying.)

Audrey sighed, settling down in the hospital lobby to take a rest. She'd just gotten back from the mechanic's place, dropping off the stricken Fox for essential repairs. She'd decked one of them when he'd suggested just selling it for scrap, the guy had gotten off lightly considering that Zephyr would've probably maimed him.

"Yo, little miss. How's the kid doing?"

Audrey glanced up to see the Gojulas pilot walking towards her, a comforting smile on his face. He sat himself down next to her.

"He's doing okay... He's a little upset that I made him let me take Geist in for repairs."

"Heh, well he did strike me as someone who does it all himself. I'm sure he'll get over it."

"But I'm afraid he'll hate me for doing this. I mean, he's literally never had anyone but him doing anything to Geist's internals. I'm sure the second he's recovered he'll be taking him apart to check everything..."

"Well, if he does he does. I'm sure he understands what you did, he knows you care about him. I've seen the two of you bickering back and forth, reminds me of me and my siblings."

Audrey blushed at that. The old man had hit the nail on the head. She was closer to Zephyr than she was with her own sister, and though they would bash on each other all day, she would do anything in her power to help him. She only hoped that he felt the same, or at least understand her intentions.

"By the way, and this is gonna sound kind of weird but... Who are you?"

The man stared at her for a second, then started laughing. He kept it up for a while, wiping his eyes as he calmed down.

"Hoo, I haven't laughed like that in a while. Though I suppose you're right, I never did introduce myself. The names David, David Tornbuy. You can call me Dave."

"I'm Audrey Glave, it's very nice to meet you."

"Likewise."

The intercom dinged then, informing Audrey that she had a call waiting for her at the desk. She excused herself, wandering to the phone wondering who it could possibly be.

(This is a goddamn linebreak because seems to dislike the ones that I put in the story in the word processor. Someone should really check that out, it's kinda annoying.)

"Calm down boy, easy now... Chuck, careful! Don't let him step on you!"

Audrey walked into the workshop to a scene of utmost chaos. The equipment was all over the place, tools scattered across the floor, lifts in crumpled heaps, and a naked, growling Shadow Fox in the corner. Geist had backed himself into the corner, and growled at anyone who tried to get close, lashing out at those who persisted. The mechanics had their Spino Sapper keeping the Fox in place, but they were at a stalemate. They couldn't get close enough to hold it down without doing some serious damage to it, and they doubted the Fox would go down easily.

"Geist, what's wrong? You there, what the hell did you do!"

The technician she had pointed out quickly joined her, ushering her into the office.

"Honestly, nothin' you didn't ask us to. We removed the armor plates no prob, but as soon as we tried to dig into the inner works, well, he just went berserk on us. We been tryin' to get him situated, but we're afraid he'll hurt himself even worse with all this strugglin'. If you can't calm him down, we'll have to risk puttin' him down hard and hope nothin' important get's broken."

Audrey's heart sank. It didn't matter what her intentions were, if Geist was crippled or worse because of her, Zephyr would never speak with her again. Assuming he didn't just kill her out right.

"I'll try, but I swear to the gods above, if you do anything to hurt him, I will throw you under my Gustav's treads. And that's merciful compared to what his master would do to you."

She left him to sweat and rushed into the workshop, making sure to stop right in the middle of Geist's field of vision. The Zoid's postured relaxed slightly at the sight of her, but he was still far too tense for Audrey's liking.

"Geist you have to relax. Please! These men are only trying to help you!"

The Zoid growled angrily. It wasn't budging, and the message was clear: No.

"Geist, you can't stay like that! I know you don't like anyone but Zephyr fixing you, but you have to let them do this, for your master if for nothing else. It's killing him to see you broken like this. Please, Geist."

But still the stubborn Zoid refused, so like it's master. In that moment, despite it's ragged appearance, Audrey felt as though he'd never looked more dangerous. This Zoid would fight to the death, not for itself, but for it's master. Geist didn't doubt for a second that his master had agreed to this, Audrey wasn't one to lie. But Geist knew that his master, he would never truly abide someone other that himself doing any major repairs. And he was willing to sacrifice his own comfort for that.

"Alright boys, he's not going for it. Take him down, try to make it clean. And get the girl outta there."

A tech grabbed Audrey from behind and dragged her out of harms way as the Spino Sapper made it's move, stepping in a swinging a screaming chainsaw towards the Fox's right shoulder.

"No, stop!"

"Geist, sway step and grab his left leg hydraulics, twist sixty-five degrees."

Geist started moving the instant he'd heard the voice. Raw instinct combined with mechanical genius was a dangerous combination, coupled with lots of battle experience and there was very little chance that the novice tech had any chance. Geist neatly swayed to the left, avoiding the chainsaw, and stepped forward, too quick for the techie to react. Quick as lightning he had the hydraulics of the left leg in his jaws, twisting them sixty-five degrees. The pipes punctured a weak spot in a welded on plate, spilling hydraulic fluid into the internals, and fried them due to a break in the wire bundles that controlled the knee. The Spino Sapper tumbled, the left leg going completely dead in an instant.

"Good job Geist, now where's the dead fuck who told him to hurt my Zoid?"

Geist looked to the office, where the head tech was currently locking everything down. The office doubled as a safe room, built to ensure the techs' safety in the event of a rampaging Zoid. An Elephander could stomp on it all day and the walls wouldn't give. This did not concern Zephyr.

"Fire."

Barely a second after he said that word, an Anti-Zoid One-hundred and Forty-four millimeter slug ripped the front of the office in half, an awesome report sounding just after the shell impacted. Zephyr strode through the hole, up to the lead tech, looked him straight in the eye, and said:

"You are about to get off fuckin' lucky, compared to what I want to do to you."

Then he promptly introduced his face to his fist, slamming the technician's head back against the reinforced glass he'd been cowering by. Already cracked from the sniper round's impacted, the cracks widened from the force Zephyr had used. Not quite satiated, Zephyr stomped on his knee, blood blossoming as a shard forced its way through the skin. The satisfied pilot walked out of the office, ignoring the tech's screams. He looked at Geist, who was sitting there patiently for his master's orders.

"Geist, get back on that pad. You there, get me a working lift and a full fucking toolbox. Broken arm be damned, if that Spino Sapper was any indication you are all fuckin' lucky I was around. Otherwise you all would've ended up like him."

Audrey smiled as they all got to work, two techs hurrying the injured jackass to the hospital. Zephyr had slipped his left arm out of the cast, using a wrench and a tie-down to make an impromptu splint. He was shoulder deep in his Zoid, barking orders like he owned the place. Which, as far as the techs were concerned, he did. At least, until he was satisfied with his Zoid's repairs. Audrey sighed to herself. She really was an idiot.

"Yeah, shoulda seen that coming."

Geist sniggered.

A/N: Ah, fluff. My nemesis. Yeah, this chapter has taken a while, my fan fiction motor burned out for a minute there. But I'm back now, hopefully to crank out a few more chapters before my muse either has a schitzophrenic episode again or commits suicide... again. I've had the next adventure in mind for a while, but it's the crap in between that pisses me off. But yeah, the idea in my head is awesome, has probably been done to death, but fuck it everyone loves them. Try to guess with those clues, eh?

As to the Bio Zoids, they will be making an appearance soon, in a way that I find devilishly clever. Of course, I'm also fuckin' biased, so what the hell do I know? I can say that neither of my two most frequent reviewers have guessed it just yet. So yeah, now you guys have two mysteries, one of which will be resolved within two chapters, because all this fluff is killing me. Even with the violent bit, which was totally spur of the moment and probably says a lot about my mental state...


	12. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

A/N: Another short one. I needed a cut-off point, and I think we'll all agree that this one is gold.

Shadow: What can I say, I'm a bloodthirsty creature.

Heartless: I'm glad you like it! As to the character interaction, I tend to do that in my other fics, I was trying a somewhat different style in this one. I've changed it up this chapter, so we'll see how it goes.

(This is a goddamn page break, cause doesn't seem to like them.)

And so a week passed. Zephyr was currently fine tuning his Zoids, making sure everything was perfect, while Audrey watched him through the window of the hotel as she talked on the phone.

"So you've got something for us?" she questioned.

"Yeah. There isn't a lot going around right now, mostly wartime positions, but I got something, up in Albern. It's not gonna be simple though." the man on the other end answered.

"It's never simple, you know that."

"You sure Zeph's up to it?"

"...we'll be there."

Audrey hung up, thanking the manager for letting her use it. Steadying herself, she walked out the door the picture of calm.

"What's up, you look a little unsettled."

Leave it Zephyr to see right through her mask.

"We got a job, up in Albern. If your up for it, Snake say's it won't be simple," she said tiredly.

The white haired pilot grinned devilishly.

"When is it ever? I'm all done here so we can go check it out whenever you're ready."

"Alright, why don't you take a break over there, I'll get us something to eat. And before you say anything, I know what you want, ya damn carnivore. When was the last time you ate a salad?"

Audrey ignored the rude gesture he was no doubt shooting her as she hopped into the Gustav. Powering up the radio, she took the time to glance out the window at Zephyr. He was sitting on the ground, back against Geist's paw, just chatting with his Zoids. Audrey smiled, then revved the engine, starting out to find some lunch.

(This is a goddamn page break, because doesn't seem to like them.)

"Zephy!"

Zephyr looked up to see Julia standing over him, smiling. Next to her, the sheer white Organoid examined him quizzically. Closer inspection revealed it to have some kind of pack strapped to it's back.

"What's up, Jules?" he waved her over.

"Just seeing how you were doing, and I brought you something that you forgot back at the Fort."

Julia reached into the pack, pulling out a flak jacket. Zephyr about fainted, snatching it from her in his haste. Julia giggled as he examined it for any tears or damage of any kind. The bright red jacket was his third most prized possession, the two black interlinked cogs on the back signifying his being a member of the venerable Machine Guild. He checked a pocket in the blue-gray liner to find his second most prized possession...

"Yes, I knew I left it in here!" he exclaimed triumphantly.

A medallion. Dangling at the end of a thin steel chain was a chunk of onyx carved into the shape of an ornate gear. This medallion was possibly more valuable than both of his Zoids combined, denoting him as not just a member of the guild, but as a Maestro Mechanicus, only a single level behind Grand Maestro, a leader of the guild. He hurriedly pulled it on over his head, putting his jacket on right afterward. He felt... complete.

"Jules, I can't thank you enough for this. You have no idea," he told her, tearing up slightly. She promptly smacked him for being overly dramatic, "Ow. But seriously, thank you."

"Well, I'm glad I could help, but I have some bad news too. That Genosaurer was no bandit machine. It was Republican," she said, suddenly serious.

Zephyr was floored. A Republican machine in Imperial territory? That could spark a war! Unless...

"Yes, I'm sure you've realized it, we are already at war. So far it's been confined to the outer reaches, so we've managed to keep the news quiet, but with this, I don't think we can or should keep it quiet any longer."

Zephyr was quiet for a while. The ramifications of a war would be huge, especially if the Republic was willing to resort to tactics like these. With bandits and outlaws attacking from within and the Republican Army attacking from without, the Empire wouldn't stand a chance. Unless...

"So what do you want me to do?" he asked solemnly.

"What you've been doing. Keep up the mercenary work, clearing out the enemies inside the country, that's what you're good at. You and Geist aren't meant for a military line, you don't take orders well. But with you clearing out the dangers inside the country, we won't have to watch our backs as often. We'll pass tips along every so often, but for the most part you're on your own. Think you can handle it?"

"Yeah. Audrey's lining up a job up in Albern, not sure what it is but I'll let her know to keep an ear out for any info, cool?"

"Cool. So, how've you been, we didn't really get a chance to chat at the Fort."

Julia sat down next to him, the Organoid watching them both as they caught up. In a bit she'd have to be Royal Princess Julia Relenvie, but for now she was content with being Jules, friend and foster sister to a roguish mercenary.

(This is a goddamn page break, because doesn't seem to like them.)

"No. Freakin'. Way."

"Yep."

"...this is such bullshit, I don't know where to begin."

The mercenary and driver had driven up to Albern, Zephyr relaying what he had learned from Julia to Audrey. She had taken it well, all things considered. They were now in the Snake Hole, a bar owned by Snake, looking over the job he'd laid out for them. A cursory look had made it sound simple. The mayor of Albern wanted someone to go up to the Bone Pit and find out what was destroying his salvage teams. The Bone Pit was an old Zoid graveyard, and the best place for parts and materials for miles around, so the mayor wanted it done quickly and was paying quite handsomely for it. That was all well and good, but then they got to the witness reports, and every single one of them said the same thing.

"It had to be," Zephyr swore, his eye developing a rather unhealthy looking twitch, "it had to be fucking zombies."

A/N: Ha! Bet you didn't see that coming. Yes, zombies, those greatest of all horror monsters, will be making an appearance. Let us take a moment to listen to me rant about how awesome zombies are. The zombie as most of us know them are the result of one of the best horror movies of all time, George Romero's Night of the Living Dead. This movie literally launched a phenomenon. Sure, there have been movies with zombies before that one, but they tended to adhere to the Haitian zombie mythos. George A. Romero, the damn genius that he is, changed them into the mindless, flesh hungry monsters that we all know and love, and ever since they have been expanding like the plague of undeath that they are so well known for. Movies, books, comics, television shows, video games, there isn't a single entertainment media that hasn't been swallowed by the zombie plague. They are quite possibly the single most prevailent theme in entertainment, movies and video games in particular. And we love them just as much as they terrify us. What makes the zombie so terrifying isn't just their nigh indestructibility, or their single minded determination to eat us. It's the fact that they're us. The zombie plague literally turns neighbors into monsters, and there's nothing you can do about it. Zombies take what's familiar and turn it into something alien. And they seem to get even more awesome as time goes on, unlike vampires which have turned for suave Dracula bloodsuckers into sparkly Twilight teen heart-throbs. From the "of the Dead" films frights to the hilarity of Shawn of the Dead, zombies remain awesome. Hell, I bet sparkly zombies would still be awesome.

Yes, I just ranted for damn near half a page about zombies and the chapter was short as hell. Zombies are that awesome. I'm gonna go play Dead Space now. Zombies in space, y'know.


	13. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

A/N: See how much I love zombies? I couldn't even wait a full day to write and post the next chapter. I fucking love the flesh eating bastards. And yes, I stole the fucking Bone Pit from Dragon Age II, it fit. Leave me alone.

Shadow: Hehe.

(This is the goddamn story)

"So," Audrey started innocently, "zombies, huh?"

"Don't fucking start," Zephyr muttered irritably, glaring at his companion through the video screen.

They had decided it would be much safer for Zephyr to be in Geist at all times while near the Bone Pit. At the moment, Audrey sat in the Gustav while Geist set off to explore the Pit itself. But "pit" brings to mind some vast hole in the earth, completely desolate and uninviting. This could not be further from the truth. The Bone Pit was several miles in diameter, but only a shallow one hundred or so feet deep, surrounded on all but one edge by a tall rock formation known locally as the Forest Guard. A single path led down into it from this uncovered edge. The entirety of the Pit was filled with a vast rainforest, a massive oasis in the middle of the wasteland. No one was exactly sure how this forest had sprouted, or in fact where the exotic animals that populated it had come from, but it had been a permanent feature of this stretch of wasteland for as long as anyone could remember.

Of course, in Zephyr's mind a big-ass empty hole full of Zoid skeletons would have been better. The rainforest was full of cover points and marshy ground, perfect for an ambush. And when fighting zombies, the last thing any pilot wanted was to be ambushed by a pack of zombies. The thought flickered through his mind, maybe he could-

"You're not burning it down," Audrey's voice was flat as it came through the speakers.

"But Sparks," Zephyr pouted, "It's gonna be a huge pain in the ass to find the damn things in there..."

"Don't call me Sparks, and I don't care. And besides, according to the salvage team they were only ever attacked inside the graveyard, so you know where to look."

Zephyr grumbled irritably but went along with her. The graveyard was situated in the center of the pit, but he didn't believe for a second that the zombies wouldn't be all over the place. The graveyard was most likely where they fed on the old zoid corpses, and therefore the most likely place for the salvage teams to encounter them. Even worse, none of reports could agree on even a general number. The first report said at least a dozen, while one of the later ones said less than five. That gave him even more evidence for his theory, they had be in the farther reaches of the pit. But for today, all he was doing was exploring the outer edge.

Geist stalked easily between the trees, feeling at home among the shadows. Great birds of all colors flew through the air, some of them with wings as wide as Zephyr was tall. The Zoid peered up into the canopy, thick and full as it was to block out all but thin stretches of sunlight, and spied all kinds of primates among the upper branches, hooting and howling down at him, the intruder. Zephyr guided him on, silent steps through the darkness of this seemingly alien world. Neither had ever seen a place like this, and every sight brought something new. Neither relished fighting a dangerous opponent in a place like this.

"It looks clear so far," Zephyr muttered, then a little louder, "Audrey, I'm gonna head back, the edge looks clear, not even any trample marks."

"Alright, come on back then," she responded simply.

As Geist began to turn, a sharp crack sounded. The Fox froze, sniffing the air and sending more power to the multisensor. A singular contact registered just as he caught the sent, hiding behind a large tree. It wasn't anything Geist had encountered before, it didn't even smell like a Zoid. Zephyr looked at the contact profile and for the life of him couldn't find any recognizable features. Then, as suddenly as it had appeared, it disappeared. Geist stalked around the trunk to be sure, but found nothing more than a pair of footprints.

"Well, I guess he ran of-"

Only the sudden beeping of the multisensor let them get away unscathed, as Zephyr wrenched Geist to the side not a moment too soon. The silver raptor came barreling towards them, swinging wickedly sharp claws towards them in an attempt to eviscerate Geist. With the Fox's dodge, however, the claws slammed into the trunk of the tree, followed closely by the rest of the Zoid. It screamed in protest, then ripped itself free the trunk, the golden talons gleaming in ominously. It charged again, and Geist opened fire, focusing on it's leg. The raptor ignored the incoming rounds, its armor rippling like it was almost liquid as they impacted, dealing far less damage then they should have. But Geist would not be denied, and at that range and rate of fire it was only a matter of time. The strange armor was stripped away and a round sliced through the raptor's knee, sending it tumbling to the ground screaming. It struggled to its feet and roared at Geist, who crouched down ready to pounce. And then suddenly, it ran off into the trees, Zephyr reigning Geist in rather than let him chase it. It had already lured them into an ambush once.

"Audrey, we're coming back now, and you're not gonna believe what we found."

(This is a goddamn line break.)

Zephyr reclined against a rock while Audrey watched the footage of his exploration. He smirked at her gasp when she reached the battle, he knew she wouldn't be ready for that. Rather than tell her about it, he'd opted to show her, warning her to expect the unexpected. She seemed especially attentive to his close up of the armor as Geist was shooting it. He'd looked that particular section over at least a dozen times, and couldn't think of anything even remotely like it. If there was something like that on the market, it would be sought after the world over. It had taken _twice_ the firepower it should have to take that thing's armor out, but the internals were weak, going down easy afterward. Good to know.

"So, what do you think?" he asked when she'd finished, "You think that's our zombie?"

"I don't know," she responded hesitantly, "I mean, don't you think they'd have mentioned something like that?"

"That fucker was _fast_," Zephyr reasoned, "A quick attack like that, with more than one, they wouldn't have had much chance, and as panicked as they would have been, who knows what they saw? I mean, it isn't that uncommon for Zoids to eat their kills if given the chance. Hell, Geist's done it a few times, and certainly would've with that damn Geno had he been able to move..."

"I guess. Well, we'll find out tomorrow, you're going in deeper?"

"Yeah, though I'll be more careful about it now that I know what we're dealing with. And now I really don't want you near the Pit. Even with Nacht to watch you, a pack of those things would tear you guys apart. You hear that, bud? You see anything suspicious coming outta those trees and headed towards you, light it the fuck up."

The albino raptor responded with a growl and a nod. Zephyr looked over the Zoid, that Wild Weasel Unit would be useful in that forest, especially if he loaded it with those Inferno rounds he'd bought... But no, he reminded himself, in close quarters combat he was far outclassed by that raptor. Better he be here guarding Audrey, where the wide open space lent itself to his withering firepower and precision sniper rifle.

"Well, let me load those Infernos onto Nacht, then we'll hit the hay."

(This is a goddamn line break)

Once again Zephyr and Geist ventured into this alien world, going even deeper now. The trees grew gradually thicker, the canopy long having snuffed out the sunlight leaving the ground in darkness. Zephyr glanced around nervously. They weren't far now from the graveyard, a few husks of Zoids that had died before they could reach it could be seen here and there. No one knew why some Zoids were called to these sites, these Zoid graveyards. They dotted the landscape, almost all of them having a town sprout up near-by. What was clear was that they were ancient, some of the remains couldn't even be identified, the Zoids having gone extinct long before people started taking records, or possibly even existed.

"Audrey," Zephyr spoke clearly, this far in his radio might not function too well, "We're getting close to the graveyard."

"I hear ya loud and clear," she responded, "Let me know when you engage so I can start the countdown."

The countdown. Zephyr had come up with it this morning so Audrey would know whether to run for help or not. The basic plan was for him to check in every ten minutes after engaging the enemy, and if he didn't she was to start up the Gustav and head for town at full speed. With all the information they had gathered, she'd have no problem getting Helen to authorize a military strike into the forest to clear it out.

Geist stepped into a welcome clearing, and he and his pilot gazed at the vista in awe. What greeted them was the graveyard in all its splendor, simaltaniously depressing and amazing. Zoids of all shapes and sizes were sprawled about, some having been worn down to the point that they were no more than mounds of discolored metal. But like grew even among these metallic behemoths, and in the center of the field lay the biggest Zoid Zephyr had ever laid eyes on. Time had long ago laid waste to its finer features, leaving only the impression of a massive dragon behind. And growing atop this behemoth dragon was the single largest tree in the forest. In an instant, Zephyr was sure that this was the father of the forest, the first tree, where all other's had come from. It was a sight that struck him with it's beauty, and he wasn't one for nature. Then the growl from behind him made him turn.

Ready for the shiny raptors as he was, the Zoid he saw confused him for an instant. A gray Saber Tiger stood at the edge of the clearing, slightly obscured in shadow. Zephyr could see some damage, but nothing terrible. He reached for the toggle of his radio to open a channel when it stepped into the clearing, making his blood run cold. Masked in the darkness as it was, Zephyr had missed the gaping hole the took up almost half of its face, dried gore encrusting the edges. The glowing optics of at least four more Zoids appeared behind it, and at some unknown signal they charged as one. Geist howled and darted forward himself, Vulcan spinning up.

"Enemy engaged, start countdown."

A/N: Mwahahahahah! I love this chapter, I honestly believe it to be my best one yet. The idea for the Bone Pit to be in a rainforest, totally spur of the moment, but the atmosphere is awesome. I mean, who expects zombies in a rainforest? Not I, they'd rot to damn fast. But metal zombies? Ha!

Seriously though, I should take the time to explain a bit about the planet they're on. And since I can't really see an explanation coming up in the story any time soon, I'll slap it in here. I will most likely put little details and such in future Notes as well, so look forward to those.

The planet of [Insert Name here when Author thinks of one] is a planet of extremes. About the size of Mars, the planet is about forty-five percent water, most of this being the vast oceans. The landmasses are split up into lots of islands, the largest of which is about the size of North America. This is where the story will take place. This continent is split between three nations, the Kaylear Empire, named after its founder and first emprous, is where our heroes live and is situated on the southern edge. The Kaylear empire takes up a full half of the continent, with its neighbor, the Augustine Republic bordering it to the north. Off the northwestern edge of the Republic is the arctic nation of Beal, a theocracy. The Kaylear Empire is almost entirely made up of desolate wasteland. There are massive oasis arrayed like spokes outward from the central oasis, where the capital city is located. As you can guess, towns are located on these oasis, but the further out from the central oasis, the further away they get from each other. For all its harshness, the area is rich in minerals and metal ore, as well as precious stones, and as such the Empire is an economic powerhouse. In contrast, the Republic to the north is a vast fertile plain, dotted with lush forests and crystal clear lakes. Agriculture flourished here, but other resources are few. The two nations trade much, but both secretly covet what the other has. The most startling thing is the border between the two nations. Most would think there would be a gradual change, but they would be wrong. The wasteland gives way to fertile plains with almost alarming swiftness. Many have taken this to be a sign that some great war in the past struck southern part of the continent, other believe it to be a product of the strange magnetic field that surrounds the planet. The people of Beal believe it to be the machinations of their goddess, having deemed that every place of the planet have much of one thing and little of another, forcing cooperation for survival. Whatever the reason, this planet of extremes is a strange and often dangerous place.


	14. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

A/N: Proof of an awesome idea, it basically writes itself.

The enemy was already dead, there was no holding back. This was the messiest, most brutal kind of combat. Zephyr brought the Vulcan to bear on the Saber Tiger and pulled the trigger. The Vulcan seemed to scream as it opened fire, already having been spun up to speeds, and quickly turned the Tiger's head into scrap metal. For that was the easiest way to destroy a zombie Zoid, to destroy head utterly and entirely. Destroying the core was also acceptable, but the head was much easier to access on most Zoids. The remaining zombies, now revealed to be more Saber Tigers, came charging in, completely single minded in their quest to devour his Zoid. The Vulcan swept along their legs, shattering them and leaving them them to plow themselves into the ground.

You see, when a Zoid becomes a zombie, the only things that function are the "brain" and the core, but these function at only the basest of levels. This leaves the Zoid with only the desire to kill and eat, and the motor functions to do so. However, a fact known only to mechanics is that a Zoid's armor only equates to about half of the Zoid's actually defensive ability. The remainder is given by a strange energy field given off by the core. This field envelops the Zoid, taking some of the energy coming off of incoming attacks. Anti-Zoid weaponry actually slips through this field unaffected, this is what gives it the extra punch. But since zombie cores only function at the lowest outputs, they lack this energy field, making zombies much more fragile than they were in life. This doesn't make them any less dangerous, however, for zombies have other traits...

The two Tigers continued to propel themselves forward, their rear legs pushing them across the ground, mouths open wide. Zephyr made a disgusted face and swept the Vulcan across again and again until he had reduced their heads to slag. Geist growled at the corpses, he shared his owners distaste for the undead. Thankfully human undead were confined to film and stories. This confirmed the threat, however, and made this much more interesting than they had originally thought.

"Audrey, you still there?" Zephyr questioned.

"No, I decided to run off and leave your sorry ass," she responded.

"Good, just checking," he replied easily, "I took down a few zombies, all Saber Tigers. Looks like the raptor was an unknown. Radio the town about that, would you please, ask them if it was in on any of the attacks. It may be the carrier, and if so I need to hunt it down too. The noise is sure to attract more of these things, so the countdown is still in effect."

As sure as if he'd summoned them, more zombies made their appearance. Rev Raptors, Shield Ligers, a few more Saber Tigers, even an unlucky Gustav, a true medley of Zoids. And there were at least two dozen of them, no doubt more in the trees. Footsteps from something massive sounded through the trees, getting closer. He needed to thing this group out, and now was the time. Geist howled once more as he leapt into the fray, Vulcan swiveling to take a gaping Shield Liger's head off by slamming into it at high speeds. Then it began firing, sending the poor Gustav back to its grave before it rammed him. A Saber Tiger ambled in and tried to take a bite, but Geist reared up and slammed a paw down with all his might and weight behind it, crushing it like a tin can. The Fox used the fallen Tiger like a spring board, leaping over the ranks of the undead and sweeping a line of fire through them. Zephyr didn't even bother to aim just yet, hoping to hinder them enough to remove the threat to be dealt with permenantly later.

"Zephyr," Audrey's voice was almost welcome at this point, "I just got off the horn with the mayor."

"And?" Zephyr questioned, quickly hosing down a venturing Rev Raptor, cutting it in half and shattering its core.

"No one ever saw the raptor, but there was one Zoid that they all recognized, and it wasn't one that anyone around here has had for years now. It was a-"

Zephyr couldn't hear her over the ear-splitting roar that shook the ground. The footsteps were much louder now, as it ambled into the clearing, a towering hulk of metal. It seemed to glare down at the intruders to its domain, roaring again, the force sending a Rev Raptor that was unfortunate enough to be standing next to it to the ground. It was soon crushed under a massive foot, the huge Zoid uncaring to its spawn's fate. This, this was an avatar of death, a behemoth of Biblical scale.

"-I say again, they said it was a King Gojulas. Be careful."

Zephyr didn't answer with words, not at first. His anger couldn't truly be expressed in any language of humans. Instead, a primal growl issued forth from his mouth, a growl so full of rage that Audrey, on the receiving end, whimpered and sunk into her chair. She pitied the poor mayor when he killed everything in the forest. Then he began to swear. At first it was almost an incoherent rambling, but as his mind came down from its fury induced high the words arranged themselves in orders that made Audrey uncomfortable, and she had been around him a lot. Then he began to act, saying a final, surprisingly calm comment to Audrey before devoting all energy into turning this mountain, this five hundred ton monster into a pile of molten slag.

"I am going to fucking kill every last person on that list."

Geist was ready for his master's order. They were lucky the massive Zoid was unable to use its weapons, but even without the energy field the armor was far too thick for anything they had to pierce it. That left one option, to drop the fucking thing off the edge of the cliff. And Zephyr was more than ready to exploit it, volleying fire into the monster's face. If they killed the carrier, the other's would die soon after. Sure that the monster was following, Zephyr guided Geist back out of the graveyard and into the trees. Geist kept sporadic fire on the Gojulas, keeping the stupid creature on their tail. In order to do this, however, they had to cut back on speed quite a bit, a fact that the zombies took great pleasure in reminding them of.

"Fucking, goddammit!" Zephyr swore as a Rev Raptor took a swipe at Geist from the side, thankfully too stupid to deploy its blades.

Geist wasted no time with it, swinging the Vulcan around hard, crushing it's head. But it wasn't the only one, and Zephyr toggled the Strike Laser Claws. Geist howled like the animal he was, lashing out with savage ferocity, crushing heads and tearing limbs from their sockets. But what had been a paltry two dozen had become at least two score, and they came on and on. Geist couldn't just stand and fight, not with the King Gojulas coming on like an unstoppable force of nature, so he quickly beheaded the Hound Soldier in front of him and leapt onto it's corpse, springing off and over the horde. Zephyr once again swept the Vulcan across their legs again and again, hoping to cripple as many as possible. The King Gojulas waded into the group as they milled about, momentarily confused by the Fox's disappearance and too stupid to get out of the way. It crushed several before they finally spotted the Fox and gave chase once again, a full half their number dead or limping behind. And the chase was back on.

(This is a... you know what? I think you get it by know.)

Audrey lounged in her seat, completely calm. At least, she tried to, but Zephyr hadn't checked in for, she glanced at the clock, seven and a half minutes now. He'd checked in once after the King Gojulas had attacked, telling her that he was leading it up to the cliff edge and to have Nacht ready to shoot its feet out from under it. She had heard the Gojulas's roars, after another of Zephyr's small breakdowns, and hadn't heard much since. For once, she didn't like the quiet. She glance at her rear screen, Nacht was standing at rapt attention, watching the forest. They were parked about a mile from the cliff leading down, but still the raptor watched, waiting for... something.

"What do you know, Nacht...,"

(Guess what? Still a line break. One of these times I'm gonna throw one in the middle of a section, just to screw with you.)

It was not looking particularly good. The King had gotten the bright idea, most likely the last one it would ever have, to bend down and grab one of its zombie followers. It had then proceeded to launch the impromptu missile at the fleeing Fox. A multi-ton hunk of metal moving at high velocities cannot be ignored by any Zoid, and the lightly armored Fox was suffering from the impact. Luckily the King's aim was off, and the Hammer Rock only clipped the Fox's leg. The leg was banged up pretty badly, the Fox dragging it behind, and the Rock was completely destroyed beyond salvage. The Fox was now struggling to keep ahead of the horde, sweeping the Vulcan back and forth among them had taken all but the most tenacious out of the game. The remainder, however, would be more than enough.

"Well, so much for our plan..." Zephyr muttered bitterly.

Geist however, was more hopeful. He recognized this sent, and this area looked familiar. He glanced left and right, looking for confirmation. The wily Fox spotted movement out the corner of his eye and chanced it, opening a wide channel and sending a fount of information. The Zoid received no reply back, but the movement was there again, moving away fast. Zephyr had spotted it too, but left it alone. If Geist had a plan, he'd leave him to it. They continued on, narrowly dodging another missile, a King Liger this time, when they hit a wall. Literally. The chase had carried them in a copse of trees too thick for Geist, wounded as he was, to get through. The Fox spun around and growled, ready. The zombies lurched forward, eager to feed, and were met with several silver blurs. The raptors burst forth from everywhere at once, dozens of them. These were smaller than the first one, Zephyr noted, and lacked the golden claws. A few of the larger raptors now joined the fray, and the zombies were quickly torn to shreds. But the King Gojulas was still coming, and it roared its fury at the newcomers. The raptors looked oddly calm, and that was when Zephyr heard the noise. Geist lifted his head to look up to see the massive Tyrannosaurus perched on an incredibly thick branch. The orb of energy in its maw reached a peak, and then it fired, straight into the King Gojulas's face. The weakened armor stood no chance against the energies that had just been unleashed almost point-blank into it. The behemoth swayed once, twice, and fell to its side, impacting with a huge crash. As one the mysterious Zoids roared in triumph, and Geist joined them. Zephyr was quick to check in with Audrey, who was just about to turn and flee. For now, they were safe.

Then the black monster landed in front of Geist with an earth-shaking crash and turned to roar in his face.

A/N: As the Zombie Arc comes to a close, we are introduced to these most mysterious Zoids. And... well that's really it, all I've got. Now I've got to come up with something to equal this...

Crap.


	15. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Shadow: Hehe, that's what I was going for.

A/N: I apologize in advance for the line breaks in this chapter. I have no idea what happened, so don't ask.

(STORY TIME!)

"Ok, so Audrey, don't freak out, but I'm staring down a giant fucking dinosaur that just killed the King Gojulas zombie, and I think it wants to eat me."

"What!"

"I said don't freak out!"

Geist ignored his master for the moment, focusing on the threat before him. He knew well enough that in his current condition there was no possible way he'd get away. But there was no way he was backing down, baring his teeth right back at the mystery Zoid. It reared back, head tilted quizzically, then leaned forward to sniff at him warily. A raptor sniffed a little too close to Geist's injured leg, and he lashed out, growling. This seemed to amuse the big one, who chastised the raptor with a growl and a swat with his tail. It leaned forward them, hesitant, and bumped noses with Geist, a greeting. Geist opened a channel then, and with some hesitation, the Tyrannosaur accepted.

"What are you up to, Geist?" Zephyr questioned.

Geist ignored him for once, focusing on conveying what he needed to. The wild ones didn't seem to communicate with words or figures, so Geist was forced to rely on feelings and images. The Zoid seemed to get what he was trying to say, because he received a growl of affirmative, and it started jogging away, turning to make sure Geist was following.

"You smart Zoid, you," Zephyr patted the dash, "You are so getting a tune up and a fresh paint job."

(This! Is! SPARTA!)

"So let me me get this straight," Audrey's voice was flat, "You were attacked by a mystery Zoid, then a pack of zombies, you were chased by the Godzilla of Zoids, and were subsequently saved by the same Zoids that attacked you."

"Pretty much," Zephyr nodded.

He was completely and utterly unprepared for the slap she gave him. She hit him hard enough to knock him flat on his ass, and he was sure he'd have a big red mark for at least a few days.

"You fucking idiot!"

"Now Aud-"

"Don't 'Now Audrey' me! What the fuck were you thinking! Why the hell is it that every time you head off, you end up in deeper shit than you should have been!"

"It wasn't my-"

"The second you saw that thing, you should've run your ass off! A King Gojulas, zombie or no, rates a Bank Monitor group from the capital, at the very least. Especially this close to town, they'd have wasted no time in getting here. Why the fuck do you do this to yourself, why the fuck do you do this to me!"

Audrey's anger deflated after that, her shoulders slumping as she just sort of ran out of steam. Zephyr had the good grace to look ashamed. He knew he'd fucked up big-time.

"...I'm sorry," he muttered.

Audrey sighed, settling down to her knees to give him a hug, which he returned weakly.

"Just be more careful, idiot," she whispered.

(This. Is. SCRUMPTIOUS!)

Our intrepid heroes now found themselves quite literally in the middle of nowhere. After getting paid, quite handsomely once they had disclosed exactly what they had been up against, Zephyr had decided it was time for the Zoids to get a complete overhaul, especially as the Gustav had yet to be completely repaired from the Geno Saurer's assault. And so they now wandered through the wasteland towards an especially desolate part of the world. Not even cacti grew this far out, and huge rock formations and mesas dominated the landscape.

"Okay," Audrey began, "So tell me again, why are we out here?"

"To get the Zoids fixed," Zephyr answered shortly, focusing on the scenery.

Audrey sighed, "I got that much but, y'know, why out here?"

Zephyr ignored her, focusing on a particularly large mesa, almost a plateau really. He directed Audrey to stop in front of it, then before she could ask anything else turned to her, his face all business.

"Audrey, what I'm about to show you, you have to take to your grave," he told her, solemn as a funeral.

Audrey couldn't even muster up the ability to speak, shocked as she was, so she nodded dumbly. Having taken care of this, Zephyr tuned the short-wave to a specific frequency.

"Ye, those of fallen gods," he spoke, "Be ye those of righteous furor and spite."

Nothing happened for a moment. Then, the ground shook. Nearby rock formations started to quake, setting off small rock slides. Audrey noted idly that they all had piles of rocks at the bottoms already, but her attention was quickly diverted to the mesa. It was opening, the whole side starting to swing open like some gargantuan door, revealing it to be rock only for a meter or two, quickly replaced but several meters of hardened metal. Gun barrels as big around as a Gojulas's head peeked from turrets, and several heavy combat Zoids stood ready to destroy them if they so much as sneezed. Just as Audrey was starting to believe Zephyr had gotten them killed, a gravely voice broke through the airwaves.

"Welcome, brother Zephyr. Enter in peace."

Audrey stared at him dumbly, leaving him to reach over to the controls and guide the Gustav inside. She snapped out of her stupor as the doors boomed shut behind them. A few shakes to clear her head, and then she rounded on her stupidly grinning companion. But before she could rip him a new one for scaring the crap out of her, he beat her to the punch.

"Welcome, Sparks," he laughed, though she failed to see the humor, "Welcome to the Machine Guild."

(I can haz page brakez?)

There were very few things that could render Audrey completely and totally speechless. In the future, she would look back at this period in shame as the time that this happened with an embarrassing frequency. The interior of the mesa was one enormous workshop, repair bay, and general mechanical geeks wonderland. Everywhere you look, a Zoid was being fixed, or modified. There were even a few models Audrey had never seen.

"New designs," their guide explained, seeing her interest, "The Machine Guild prides itself for being at the forefront of every technological achievement in the field of Zoids for the past ten or so years."

More speechlessness ensued. They were led through the endless array of bays and hangars to a large blast door. Their guide exchanged a few words, code words according to Zephyr, and the door began to hiss open.

"The living quarters," their guide supplied helpfully, "Those doors are over ten meters thick, made of the strongest alloys we can make, which have never been released out of our care I should mention, and coated with a special gel that protects against high heat attacks, such as those used in Charged Particle Guns."

"Why the extra protection, if you don't mind me asking?" Audrey asked, curious.

"Oh not at all," the guide seemed genuinely pleased to be answering questions, "In addition to the obvious case of wanting to protect our people, many of the guild member's families live here, the private offices of senior members, such as Mr. Zephyr here, are located there. There are quite a few people who would love to access those offices, from mechanics looking for a lucky break to Republican spies looking to remove our national advantage. We may charge a pretty penny for our services, but we are all loyal to the Empire."

"So you're kinda important here, huh?" Audrey turned to Zephyr.

Zephyr scratched the back of his head, embarrassed, "Eh, it's not that impressive. I tinkered a bit, I guess I impressed a few people."

"Nonsense, you are far too modest," the guide admonished, "Mr. Zephyr here is the youngest ever to achieve the rank of Maestro Mechanicus. That is only a step below Grand Maestro, and makes him a minor celebrity around here. Very few make it such a rank, for one so young to do it is simply astounding, you should be proud of your achievements."

Audrey stared at him for a time, making him a tad uncomfortable, "So, what exactly did he do to get that rank?"

"Well, about seven years ago he designed the most amazing set of stabilizers for heavy Zoids, such as your Gustav. You see, they have a dreadful tendency to lose almost sixty percent of their speed and agility in uneven terrain, mostly because the Zoids lose their sense of balance which makes them uncomfortable. These stabilizers actively sense the ground at the Zoid's feet, making adjustments when necessary. This makes them more comfortable, which allows them to move easier. Much easier in fact, losing only twenty-three percent instead of sixty, a tremendous improvement."

Audrey thought back around four years. She'd taken her Gustav in for some routine maintenance when the mechanic recommended upgrading to these revolutionary new stabilizers and scopes. It was a little shocking to know that a piece of equipment that literally revolutionized the industry had been made by her best friend. They continued their walk towards Zephyr's private bay.

"Of course, he made quite a bit of money from this, but as guild regulations state they may only use a small stipend for outside use, he has been using it on another project that may very well propel him to Grand Maestro status."

At this, he led them around a corner, revealing the private bay in all its glory. Even Audrey, who knew next to nothing about tools and mechanical tidbits, was in awe of the place. Bleeding-edge equipment was everywhere in the enormous hangar bay, big enough to house a Seismosaurus comfortably. The sheer size made the present occupant look almost tiny. But it was no less impressive.

"This is what I've had my people working on," Zephyr told his awestruck companion, grinning the whole time.

"This is the Spectre Dragon."

A/N: Oh snap! Yes, it's my first well and truly custom Zoid. I've been struggling with which one to introduce first since chapter one, but I finally decided that since this was the first one I designed, this would be the first one unveiled. Now, I did mention the Bank Monitor first, but it won't be in the story for a while so it doesn't count. My Zoids all have hints to their roles in their names, so feel free to speculate. And no, it won't be grossly overpowered, I've made sure of that. It will, however, be fucking awesome. At the end of ever chapter featuring a new Zoid I will post a dossier of their armaments and abilities, unless of course they're a surprise. Look forward to it!


	16. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

A/N: Okay, so before I say anything about the chapter, I saw the new Pirates movie the other day. It kicked ass. I was everything I loved about the first one, and then, just as it was getting even better, BAM! Zombies. Fuck. Yes.

Shadow: The new Zoid is something I've had for a while now, just had to fit him in there. I assure you, he shall not disapoint.

Randomcat: Firstly, I love how you reviewed every chapter in quick succession. My phone rings every time I get an email, so it was going off every minute during your spree, really brightened my day. And no, I didn't know about the pagebreak option, I may look into it but for now, I enjoy my rants too.

(The movie's starting, and there's a special kind of hell for people who talk in the theater. Those who get the reference there gain 100 internetz and a cookie.)

The Spectre Dragon stood proudly on its pedestal, the bright lights shining off its blood red armor. And there was a lot of it, for this dragon was clad from its snout to the tip of its tail and all the way down its four legs in thick armored plates. Three horns poked up from its head, two pointing back towards its neck, with the last and largest stabbing ahead of the dragon, a large curved blade, like a scimitar. On the Dragon's back, between the broad wings, a rack of three massive cannons glistened all shiny and new, and on its belly was a quad-barreled machine gun rack. Completing the array of weaponry were a comparatively tame pair of missile boxes, one of each rear hip.

"...wow," was about all Audrey could come up with.

"Pretty cool huh?" Zephyr grinned, "I designed it a while back, I'm actually surprised they're this far along already. How much more to do?"

"Not much more," the guide supplied, "A few electronic systems need to be checked, guns to be test fired, and then we can go ahead and energize the core."

"Energize the core?" Audrey asked.

"I'll take that one," Zephyr quickly intercepted the guide's explanation, "When a Zoid is first created, an empty core is used. When it's finished, the core is charged with an enormous amount of energy, jump starting it and setting the basic behavior, diet and such, based on the body the core is in."

"Okay, but where do you get an empty core?"

"Dead Zoids. If the core isn't damaged, the core will lose all energy, personality, memory, everything."

"Ok, so what about all the Zoids built later?"

"Well, once a template is established, new cores are easily built. But the first one is special."

"I see..."

Audrey looked at the Zoid with new eyes, trying to decide what kind of Zoid it would be. She quickly decided it had to be carnivorous, what with the fangs and overall predatory look. From the rather large guns spoke of a Zoid that dominated in long range battle. Add the broad wings, and there was only one thing it could be.

"It's a gunship," she said, proud of her observation.

"Yep," Zephyr answered with no small amount of self-satisfaction, "There aren't many Zoids that can provide accurate close air support constantly. Most aerial's have to do several passes, and the one's that don't generally don't have the armor or arms to do much good. The Spectre Dragon can circle overhead and unleash hell from the main guns, they rotate about a hundred and thirty-five degrees to stay on target. Though, you need to hover to bring all weapons to bear, as the guns on the belly can only swivel to point straight ahead or straight back, no horizontal movement."

"Hm," Audrey gazed at it, "That would certainly be of use. One question though."

"What's that?"

"Aren't you afraid of flying?"

Zephyr blanched, then he started babbling, searching for an answer that just wouldn't come. The guide looked like he was trying to be reproachful but just couldn't keep the smirk off his face. Finally after a few moments of looking like an idiot, Zephyr managed to mumble something along the lines of "I'm working on that," which just drove Audrey into a fit of laughter.

(This. Is. Mushroom Kingdom! Points to those who get that.)

Audrey wandered the halls of the living quarters, stretching to relieve the crick in her back. The bed had been a bit on the hard side, but any bed was a luxury after a few days of sleeping in the Gustav. All the upgrades she'd had Zephyr install in her Gustav, she'd never thought to ask him to install some more comfortable seats. Hell, the pilot's seat in Geist was amazing, he'd spent more on it than he had on the Gustav's reinforcements! This train of thought led her to grumbling bitterly, which seemed to scare some of the initiates she passed. She wandered to Zephyr's door, and pounded on it loudly.

"Zephyr, wake up!" she shouted, "I need you to show me to the cafeteria!"

The door opened and she yelped, ducking quickly to avoid the flying knife that imbedded itself in wall. The solid, steel wall. She noted with some morbid curiosity that the wall seemed to be covered in little divots, and she wondered just how many people had tried to wake him. And how many had been hit.

"It's down the hall, second junction on the left," his voice echoed dully, "Ask someone in the hall if you need anything, everone's real friendly. Now go away, or I'll start aiming."

Audrey didn't bother responding. She'd forgotten just how irritable Zephyr could be when he didn't get enough sleep, he must've spent all night down in the hangar working on the Dragon. A quick jaunt down the hall and she was at the cafeteria. At least he was lucid enough to give her good directions. She grabbed a tray of food and sat down at a table of female engineers, smiling at their words of greeting.

"So your the girl traveling with Maestro Zephyr?" one of them asked.

"Yeah," Audrey responded, "I take it he's pretty well known?"

"Of course!" they seemed shocked at the question, "He's a Maestro Mechanicus, and the youngest one ever at that."

"Though some know him more for his morning habits," one giggled.

"Oh, he does that often, does he...,"

"Yeah, though no one's been hit just yet." Well that answered that question.

"Is he popular around here?"

The girls started giggling, a couple even getting googly-eyed, "Oh yes, Maestro Zephyr is very well liked by everyone here. He's always so friendly, and he never seeks to steal your accomplishments as his own. He's had a hand in many very important projects, but he never seeks to insert himself into anything without permission. Though he's more likely to be seen helping us novices with something rather than the more senior members."

"I noticed the entry phrase is rather... unique. Is the guild a religious order at all?"

"Oh no, the Grand Maesto has a strange sense of humor is all."

"I see..."

The girls suddenly became very giggly, and Zephyr plopped himself down next to Audrey, a pile of various animals cooked in a myriad of ways on his tray.

"What's going on ladies," he said, grinning as ever, "Audrey, I see you've met the lovely ladies of the Second Agricultural Division. Now, correct me if I'm wrong for it has been a while, but from the left we have Molly, Daisy, Zeara, and... Megan?"

Another wave of giggles answered him, "That's right, Maestro. I'm sorry we didn't introduce ourselves, Miss Audrey, but those in the Machine Guild deems questions to be the highest point of a conversation, so we didn't want to interrupt."

Audrey turned to Zephyr for confirmation, "It's true, the Machine Guild isn't just about mechanical stuff, though that is the vast majority. We're also about knowledge in general, the library here is huge, and has stuff on pretty well any subject."

"But these places are secret," Audrey asked, puzzled, "So why horde all that information?"

"Well, its true that we keep our bases hidden and their locations a secret, but we don't turn people away. Else you wouldn't be here. Anyone who wants to can ask a member to take them to one of our bases, it's up to individual discretion as to who we let in. That's part of the reason we were our medallions and jackets pretty well everywhere, so people know who we are. Though the main reason is still simple pride, it's damn hard to earn that jacket, let alone a medallion. Still, we are a rather discerning bunch, so not everybody gets in."

Audrey was torn between honest fascination and morbid curiosity. Though, this was from watching him eat rapidly while still speaking clearly. His words revealed quite a bit about him, more than he may know. She had known he was a member of the Machine Guild since the day they met, but she'd never actually thought about what that meant. He had worked hard, achieved something no one else had, and still remained humble about it. He wasn't above boasting about his mechanical prowess, or his skill in battle, but what was possibly his greatest achievement and he didn't boast once, even tried to downplay it. He was surrounded by people who respected him, some who practically worshiped him, and still he remained almost humble about it. In all, he seemed much more pleasant ever since they'd arrived. Audrey wasn't quite sure why, but it was starting to annoy her.

"Well girls, I'm sure I'll get the chance to chat with you some time, we'll be here a few days after all," he said, starting to stand, "But for now, me an' Audrey have an appointment to keep."

"We do?" Audrey got up to follow him.

"Yeah, the Grand Maestro wants to meet us."

"WHAT!"

A/N: Yay, fifteen chapters and thirty five pages! W00t. I promised some info on any custom Zoids, so without further ado, the Spectre Dragon's dossier!

Name: Spectre Dragon

Family: European Dragon

Height: 12.6 meters at the shoulder

Length: 28 meters

Weight: 116.2 tons

Top Speed: 145 kph (running) / Mach 1.5 (flying)

Weapons: Triple 120mm Cannons, Quad 35mm Repeating Cannons, 45mm Guns, Twin 4-Shot Missile Pods, Plasma Breath, Hardened Alloy Claws, Teeth, and Horns

Abilities:

Let it be said that when the Machine Guild sets out to do something, they do it in a big way.

The Spectre Dragon is a powerhouse with wings, pure and simple. Is not the fastest thing in the skies, its actually quite slow. But it more than makes up for this in armor, flexibility, and, of course, firepower.

In armor, the Spectre Dragon is clad from head, down its four legs, all the way to its tail in a suit of armor on par with that of the Beryl Geno, with even more situated on the chest, shielding the cockpit. The armor is thinner around the joints, however, in able to not hinder this machine's unbelievable flexibility. Help even comes from the most humble of places, and the Magnesser technology heralded with the Pteras is put to good use in the Zoids formidable wingspan to help provide lift, albeit without resorting to the Pteras's flimsy looking wings or giving it the ability to hover. Its firepower that a gunship requires, and its firepower that this Zoid delivers! Taking ques from several different sources, the result is a Zoid that can give as good as it gets, and then some.

In the air, the Spectre is able to bring its full firepower to bear, raining fire down on ground targets with an unholy combination of speed, power, and precision. Make no mistake, this is not a dog-fighter, about the only thing it can keep pace with is the Pteras, and that's only until the Pteras hits the throttle. What the Pteras, or even the Raynos, don't have is its flexibility. The Spectre can twist and turn through the air like nobody's business, and while it may be harder to hit you, you'll have a hell of a time being precise with your firepower.

On the ground, the Spectre is a different kind of beast. Its not particularly fast, but its not helpless. The safeties on the Spectre's cannons are lifted on the ground, and the only safe place from them is directly behind him. But with the Spectre's flexibility, getting behind it is an interesting concept. You may be able to dance circles around him, but chances are he'll be lookin' at you the whole way round. In close combat, that flexibility lends itself to sneaky, unorthodox strikes.

Weapons

Triple 120mm Cannons

The Spectre Dragon's most noticeable armament, a rack of three 80mm cannons on its back. These guns are capable of spitting out a frenzy of firepower, hurling a storm of metal downrange at a rate of 1 round a second, per cannon. That's nothing to sneeze at, especially considering these guns can swivel a full 135 degrees to either side and 45 degrees up and down, the only place safe from them is directly behind it. For safety reasons, the swivel of the cannons is limited to 90 degrees horizontally while in the air.

Quad 35mm Repeating Cannons

Mounted on the Spectre Dragon's belly, this array of repeating cannons sends streams of shells falling on its foes. Their swivel is limited to 90 degrees up and down, basically from the front of the Zoid to the back, and this is disabled for obvious reasons while on the ground, having them fixed forward. However, when they let loose, they do so with a vengeance, a veritable hail of gunfire at 10 rounds per second. Per gun. There may be nothing overtly special about them, but at those speeds, you'll hardly care.

45mm Guns

The Dragon has four of these, two mounted on each of the dragon's sides. The guns can swivel 15 degrees horizontally and vertically, but are otherwise fixed firing straight out from the sides. These are relatively useless against anything coming at it from the front or back, but from the sides... well, you wouldn't want to be them. Especially when combined with the rotational abilities of the Triple 120s. The Guns have a firing rate of 3 rounds a second per gun, and have average accuracy.

Twin 4-Shot Missile Boxes

Mounted on the rear hips and angled to fire straight up are the most ordinary of the Spectre's armaments. Housing four missiles a pop with no reloads, these are the Spectre's best defense against airborne attackers. Missiles have a lock-on time of 3 seconds.

Plasma Breath

A dragon ain't a dragon without some kind of breath weapon, and the Spectre is no different. But a simple flamethrower would be boring, so the Machine Guild packed this little surprise. The Plasma Breath is a simple weapon, the Dragon opens its mouth and expels a large amount of very very hot energized plasma on the unlucky sods who happen to be in the way. This stuff melts through armor like it isn't even there, though the Dragon has to be relatively close to use it, the dispersal unit having a range of about 50 meters. In addition to being much more destructive than a traditional flamethrower, plasma also has a longer lifespan than traditional napalm, clinging to armor and eating through it for almost twice the time. It's also a lot harder to extinguish, making this weapon a nightmare to anyone on the receiving end.

Hardened Alloy Claws, Teeth, and Horns

A relatively standard Zoid armament, the Dragon is a capable fighter, tearing into its opponents with a ferocity rarely seen. Especially menacing are the three horns on its head, one pointing forward, curving slightly upward in a nasty, scimitar like fashion, the other two straight back from its head.

Hehe, that' my baby. Now, this dossier is for the prototype, any additional Zoids of this type will have several differences to them. You can expect more like this in the future.


	17. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

A/N: For the references from last chapter, I was a little disappointed to be honest. Only shadow guessed, and he was only partially correct. The first line was from one the greatest Sci-Fi series of all time, Firefly. It was said in a conversation between two of my favorite characters, Shepherd Book and Malcolm Reynolds, and it's funny as hell. That line has stuck with me for a long time, as I have a similar belief. However, I give partial credit for the Pirates reference, as I hadn't thought of it. So you get half points, and half an oatmeal raisin cookie, no chocolate chips.

The other one was from a webcomic called VGCats. I find it mildly humorous, but as it is obscure, there shall be no penalties for missing it. No points either though.

(Come with me, and you'll be, in a world of pure imagination... I thought it fit. And I love that movie.)

Zephyr was having fun. He was back in the closest place he had to a home, he was surrounded by friends and colleagues, and some time soon he'd be starting up a new Zoid. Unfortunately, there were certain laws of the universe. Such as the one that states 'When Zephyr is having fun, someone nearby is not.' That someone was Audrey, who was freaking out that one of the most powerful men on the continent was waiting to meet her. To say she was freaking the hell out would be a small understatement.

"What could he possibly want from us?" she questioned Zephyr for the fifth time in as many minutes, bordering on panic.

"Calm down," he assured her, "The old man probably just wants to meet you. After all, you're the first person I've ever brought."

"You're sure? It couldn't be anything else?"

"Well, you haven't given away any of our secrets have you?"

"I don't think so."

"Then you'll be fine. Ah, here we are, at these ridiculously large doors!"

He was right on that point. The doors were twenty feet tall, and made of solid titanium alloy. Zephyr walked up to one and knocked loudly, stepping back to wait after. The seconds ticked on as they waited, Audrey growing more anxious with each one that passed. So it came as no surprise to Zephyr when she nearly jumped out her skin when a dull thump sounded and a normal sized door popped open in the middle of one the large ones.

"Oh you've gotta be kidding...," Audrey deadpanned.

"You were warned, the old guy's got a weird sense of humor," Zephyr chuckled, "C'mon, he'll be waiting for us."

(Guess who's back, back again, line break's back, tell a friend... This never happened.)

"Hello, hello, welcome to my inner sanctum!"

Audrey leaped back from the madman that had jumped out right in front of her. He was only about four feet tall, so stooped with age as he was, and had only a few wisps of snow white hair on his head. It was his head that had so freaked her out, however. The left side of his face, from his forehead to his cheek, along with his eye, had been replaced with metal plates, his eye an unblinking blue lens. His remaining human eye was the same blue, and gleamed with mischief. The thick burgundy robes covering his frame hid the rest of him from view, but from the creaks and groans it was easy to imagine just how much more mechanical parts he had.

"Oi, get off 'er ya rusty bastard," Zephyr growled, interposing himself between the two of them, "God damn, do you have to freak all the new people out like that?"

"Heeheehee, my apologies, young Zephyr, and the young miss," the old man cackled, stumbling towards his desk, "I have so few pleasures left to me, you see."

"Uh huh," Zephyr looked at him blankly, "I ain't buying it, ya bucket o' bolts, you just like being a creepy son of a bitch."

"Ehehehe, you caught me," the old man cackled again, "I do enjoy frightening the youngsters. Now, Zephyr, would you mind introducing this lovely lady?"

"Of course, Grand Maestro. Audrey, this is Grand Maestro Audicius Meler," Zephyr gestured with a little flourish to the old man, "Grand Maestro, this is Audrey Glave, my friend and transport pilot."

Audrey didn't miss how he'd introduced her as his friend first, and neither had the Grand Maestro who chuckled a bit.

"So, Miss Glave, have you enjoyed your stay so far?" the Grand Maestro finally settled himself into his chair behind the huge, ornate desk.

"Oh yes, very much sir," Audrey smiled, "Everyone's been so nice, and there's so much... stuff here. It's all fascinating."

"Good, good, now how-"

The old man was interupted by a loud insistent beeping. Zephyr hurriedly checked his pockets, pulling out a small communication device. He held it to his ear for a second before a grin split his face near to the breaking point. Audrey actually flinched.

"Grand Maestro," he bowed, "I'm sorry but I have to go. We're getting ready to commence start up testing on the Dragon. Can I trust you to be good with my friend?"

"Of course, of course," the Grand Maestro waved off his concern, "Do keep me appraised, young Maestro."

Zephyr bowed again before leaving excitedly, mumbling mechanical jargon under his breath. The Grand Maestro chuckled, and Audrey took the opportunity to inspect his office. The ceiling was high above them, a perfect dome. Latice work covered every inch like a giant chrome spiderweb. The walls were covered with massive bookshelves, books of all kinds on their dark wooden shelves. Some of the tomes looked ancient, older even then the Grand Maestro. And situated in the exact center of the room was the desk, a massive piece of furniture carved from a single log of dark, polished heartwood. Exquisite carvings covered it's sides, of ancient Zoids and mechanical marvels. The chair behind it was no less ornate, made of the same wood with thick, leather cushions. Beside all these, the Grand Maestro seemed tiny.

Which brought her attention back to him. He was sitting in that chair, studying her as she studied the room. His earlier frailty of mind seemed to have deserted him, his eye containing signs of a dark, sharp intellect. And ancient, she realized. With his mechanical body parts, he could very well be the oldest man alive. With that knowledge came a small trickle of fear, not for her safety but of what he could possibly know.

"Now then, Miss Glave," his earlier geniality was gone, replaced with a calculating tone, "Tell me what you know of Zephyr?"

"Zephyr? He's my friend," she said, suddenly nervous, "We're partners in business, mercenaries."

"Yes, yes, I understand all of that," he grumbled irritably, though not unkindly, "But what do you _know_ about him? Where he came from, what his upbringing was like, who he really is?"

Audrey stared at him blankly. She suddenly realized, she really didn't know anything about him. She'd told him a few things about herself, and she knew about his ties to the Machine Guild and the Royal Family, but that was it. She knew nothing about his real family, how he'd grown up, nothing.

"Well," she hesitated, "I'll admit I don't know as much as I'd like, but I'm sure-"

"What about his real name?"

That stopped her short. She'd long suspected that Zephyr was an alias, or some kind of moniker, but everyone knew him by that name. Even the Royal Family, who he'd lived with for years knew him as Zephyr. She'd grown used to the fact that it was quite possibly his real name, if a little strange. To hear this man say that it was not was a little shocking, she realized that she may not have his full trust.

"It seems," his tone was a little more gentle, understanding, "that you do not know as much as you would wish."

She turned away from him then, angry. How dare this old man, who barely knew her, insinuate that Zephyr was lying to her. She started for the door.

"Would you like to?"

And stopped dead.

(This, this right here. This is a line break. Always will be. No big reference this time, I'm kinda winding down.)

"Alright, ready everybody?" Zephyr called back from his perch on the Spectre Dragon's side.

The Spectre Dragon was missing the armor on it's left side, a conduit running to the core left exposed. Attached to this conduit was a small scaffold, on which Zephyr was crouching with a large bundle of power cables. The cables ran down to the wall of the hangar, attached to the massive core that powered the whole of the base. Reinforced restraints held the Dragon down to the platform, in case of start-up spasms. It was time.

"We're ready here, sir," a tech called from his station a few meters away.

Zephyr grinned, then forced the cable into the conduit. Nothing happened for a few seconds. Then, Zephyr latched onto the scaffold as the Dragon bucked against it's restraints, a few of them buckling from its strength. Zephyr gritted his teeth and hoped that they hadn't miscalculated just how strong this thing was going to be as it continued to struggle. The optics powered on, the great green eyes blazing with light, and Zephyr laughed maniaclly as the Dragon roared. He stood proudly on his platform, completely ignoring the Dragon's continued motions as he laughed in triumph as it roared again and again, sounding it's birth to the world.

A/N: So, there we have it. A few revelations, an awesome awakening sequence, and the real beginning of the second act of this fiction. And, well, you people asked for character growth, there's more of it. I'm finding the recent chapter's fluff not as irritating as others, so this may go on for a little while. There will be some snippets of action, but the fluff will be here for a few more chapters. Dammit. At least I finally get to write one of my favorite characters, one I freely admit to coming up with on the spot. No concrete backstory or anything, which I think makes his crazed bipolar-ness more believable. I am, in essence, making him up as I go. And it's awesome. I may deign to write a vague spread on him and post it at a later date, but for now he'll continue to be a product of my mind's wandering. Y'know, cause the rest of this fic is so set in concrete./Lie


	18. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

A/N: You may be a touch crazy, my friend, but I'm bat-shit insane.

"So shall I tell you," the old man's gaze was unsettling, half human and half machine, "Shall I tell you what I know of your friend?"

Audrey stood, unsure and unsettled. Yes, she wanted to know. Why wouldn't she want to know more about her best friend? The urge was unbearable, and the Grand Maestro's gaze was not helping. She was sure he knew all about Zephyr, all the things she wanted to know. And all she needed to do was ask. But...

"No," her voice was a mere whisper, but she knew that he could hear her, "No, I won't ask someone else to give his story. If he hasn't told me, it's because he isn't ready to."

The Grand Maestro said nothing, but by the little grin on his face, Audrey felt as though she had passed some sort of test. He stood slowly, suddenly looking like the frail thing he had been before Zephyr left.

"You are correct of course," he said while he moved around the desk, gazing at the shelves, "Knowledge by itself can be a wonderful thing. But if that knowledge is not tempered by the wisdom of how to use it, it can be dangerous to oneself and others."

He turned sharply towards her, "That is why the process of gaining knowledge is just as important as the knowledge itself. If you take the easy route, if you do not try on your own to gain knowledge, you will lack the wisdom of how to use it. But if you gain it through your own power, if you seek it with your own mind, the journey will give you that wisdom. If you had asked, I would have told you whatever you had wished to know. But in doing so, you would not have gained the wisdom of its use, of why that knowledge is important. In refusing to hear it from me, in choosing to seek it with your own abilities, you have passed this all important test, a test to those who would seek knowledge."

He walked back behind the desk, stumbling momentarily as something beneath his robe hissed with pressure release. Cursing under his breath in a language Audrey suspected had died a while ago, he reached into a drawer and pulled something out. He walked back over to her, now with a pronounced limp, and placed it in her hand, closing her fingers around it. She could feel its contours, smooth ridges made of cool stone.

"Take this, young one," he smiled up at her, looking for all the world like a kindly grandfather, "With this, you will gain access to any of our libraries, our sanctums. While you lack the ability and drive to be one of us, it comes as no surprise that Zephyr would be drawn to you. This will mark you as a friend, and any who see you will recognize you for it."

Audrey opened her hand and gasped. It was a small pin made of pure onyx, smoothed and polished to an almost mirror-like sheen. The pin was shaped into a beautifully book, opened wide. She could see the individual letters, though they were far too tiny to be read she assumed the words meant something. She couldn't think of anything to say, so she wordlessly pinned it to her beige coat. The old man smiled, and gestured to the door, wandering back to his chair. As Audrey left, she could hear him snoring lightly. She told the guard as she left, so he could tell others that he was asleep.

It was the least she could do.

(This is not a line break. Seriously. I'm not kidding, it's part of the story. Seriously... Okay, fine, it's a line break. Happy?)

The scene that greeted Audrey when she walked into the hangar was one of pure chaos. Guild members were everywhere, the technicians running to and fro while others were standing around watching. The noise was tremendous, the Zoid's roars mixed with shouts and, somehow above all the other noise, Zephyr's laughter. She spotted the girls from the cafeteria standing a little ways away and walked over to them.

"So I take it they got the Dragon started up," she chuckled.

"Yeah," Daisy said absently, "They're trying to calm it down so they can get Zephyr down."

It was only then that Audrey noticed the tiny platform on the Zoid's side, with a cackling Zephyr standing on it. No matter how the thing bucked, he didn't seem to notice.

"Y'know, this is actually pretty close to how I envisioned this moment," Audrey stated.

"Oh definitely," Daisy again.

"Yep," that would be Zeara.

"Me too," and there's Molly.

"Definitely," and finally Megan.

"So how long has this been going on?"

"I dunno, ten, twenty minutes?"

"And has he stopped laughing once?"

"Nope."

"Figured as much," Audrey watched in morbid fascination as the Dragon jerked hard enough to yank one of the anchors off the platform, causing a small panic, "So they got any ideas how they're gonna get him down?"

"Still thinking about that."

"I see. Have they tried holding it down with a bigger Zoid?"

"They're afraid of scaring the Dragon into activating its weapons."

"Ah," another hard jerk almost pitched Zephyr into the air, still laughing, "Shocking it into submission?"

"If it didn't kill Zephyr in the process, he'd hunt them down afterwards."

"Right. What about leaving it alone to calm down?"

"...y'know, I can't believe no one thought of that."

"That's what I'm here for," she said, starting forward, "to keep you geniuses grounded."

She walked over to the head technician and told him her idea. To his credit, he hid his embarrassment well, and quickly ordered his crew to back off. Audrey spied Zephyr, still standing on the platform and laughing, give her a quick thumbs up. She just shook her head and sighed. Then they waited, and after a few minutes the Dragon finally started to calm down. Audrey noticed with a start that Zephyr had stopped laughing, and was talking softly to the Zoid, soothing it. A short while after, he hopped down from his perch, an inhumanly wide grin on his face.

"My friends," he spoke with barely contained exuberance, "the Spectre Dragon is finished!"

There was a barely perceivable pause, then a loud cheer from all the spectators and technicians alike. The Dragon itself looked amused, roaring along with them, which incited an even louder cheer.

(Alright, this time I'm serious, this is incredibly important information. I'm not even playing, this line right here contains all the secrets of this fic... not.)

The Grand Maestro sat in his chair, watching the scenes in the hangar with no small amount of pride. He turned away from the screen with a sigh, looking to the huge book sitting on his desk. Leafing through a few pages, he found the one he was looking for. Harsh sounding words, a language dead for a thousand years, covered the page, the strange letters so small a magnifying glass was required to read them. The Grand Maestro's mechanical eye whirred and clicked as it magnified and focused on a certain passage.

"I hope we're ready," the ancient man mumbled, "For all our sakes, I hope we're ready."

A/N: Yes, I did just tease Zephyr's backstory. I'm saving that shit for later. Next chapter will show some of the awesome power of the Spectre Dragon, as it goes through weapons testing. And yes, it will be getting a name as well, one that has already been picked.

And the Grand Maestro's rant was not completely random, it's something I myself believe in fully. Anyone who's ever cheated on a test and then been quizzed on the material can tell you it's a hundred-percent true, too.

And, because I got such nice feedback on the Spectre, here's a little something I came up with in a sugar induced high. It will not be appearing in this fic, but the blend of two of my favorite franchises came out so much more awesome than I expected. I have more, and I may add them to future chapters.

And yes, I am an arch-bastard.

Name: Karanak  
Family: Flesh Hound  
Height: 15.3 meters  
Length: 35.6 meters  
Weight: 294 tons  
Top Speed: 250 kph 400 kph/w boosters  
Weapons: Hell Fangs, Hardened Alloy Claws, Crusher Tails  
Abilities: Caustic Blood, Blood Frenzy, Khorne's Vengeance  
Class: Banned

Description

"It isn't a Zoid... it's a demon!"

Those were the last words of the leader of the team sent to bust up a Chaos cult planning a terrorist attack on a major military installation. In their fervor, they managed to summon Khorne's bloodhound into a poor, unsuspecting König Wolf. The Wolf was warped beyond recognition by the demon's power, and became Karanak, the three-headed Flesh Hound that sits at the feet of the Blood God himself. But the cult never got to use Karanak in their plot, as it decided they had insulted the pride of the Warrior God by planning to kill defenseless civilians, and he killed them all, and their Zoids, as well as the Special Assault Team sent to stop them. Make no mistake, this Zoid turned killing machine is death incarnate.

Karanak's pride deems that he must end an opponent in the Blood God's chosen turf, close combat, and as such there isn't a single long ranged weapon to be found on it. But with armor as thick as the thickest ZX, and boasting a powerful set of boosters capable of propelling this three-mouthed hell hound into range, there isn't much stopping it from getting in close unless you can outrun it. But Khorne's wrath is unending and untiring, and his chosen hound carries these traits as well. And once it does get in close, it uses its demonic strength to tear even the strongest Zoids limb from limb, offering their deaths to its master.

Weapons

Hell Fangs

One mouth would have been bad enough with these, but with three you'd better pray that they never grab hold of you. Each of these Fangs is forged of the same hellish metals as Khorne's sword, completely indestructible and carrying an incredibly powerful Chaos taint. A Zoid pierced by one of these will find itself unable to think, for the pain penetrates fully and completely and is unlike anything else. And pierce they will, for this most unholy of Flesh Hounds has a jaw strength that would allow it to power a dull, flattened fang through a Liger Zero Panzer's armor. It seems most fond of gripping limbs in individual heads and pulling them apart like paper mache.

Hardened Alloy Claws

Do not discount the claws of the beast, either. Each is a spike of metal capable of ripping and tearing through the mightiest of Zoids.

Crusher Tails

Even getting behind Karanak is dangerous, for this great Hound has two heavily weighted tails just waiting to whip around and smash armor into jagged shards. Each tail is also incredibly flexible, so there isn't really much chance of getting around them.

Abilities

Caustic Blood

Throughout Karanak's frame and armor are tubes of incredibly powerful acids distilled from blood on some distant Warp World, leading up to nozzles in his central mouth. These nozzles are capable of launching a thick spray of acid to coat anything in front of it for a range of 20 meters. The thick, bloody acid clings to whatever it touches, eating through it at a rapid pace. Furthermore, because of network of tubes throughout Karanak's body, any foe that actually manages to wound it gets a spray of acid in return. The sheer number of tubes means that in order to lower the efficacy of the nozzles in the mouth, you'd have to do enough damage to actually kill Karanak anyway.

Blood Frenzy

Karanak is already a fearsome beast, but once it closes its jaws on a victim, things get really interesting. The taste of the enemies flesh and the smell of their blood drives Karanak into a frenzy, driving him beyond any reason and causing him to, quite simply, tear whatever's in his mouth apart. This may give smart teammates a chance to flee, or suicidal ones a chance to shoot, but for the poor soul in the danger zone, all they can do is pray their cockpit is thrown clear in his thrashing.

Khorne's Vengeance

Karanak is known as the dispenser of Khorne's vengeance on those who cause dishonor to the warrior's way, for Khorne is as much a god of honor as he is a god of violence. Karanak has not forgotten his master's bidding, and continues this mission even trapped in a Zoid body. Once you have aroused his attention, you cannot stop it. Even the most grievous of wounds are simply ignored as he comes after you not like a Zoid, but as an unstoppable force of unholy nature. Nothing slows him, nothing causes him the slightest amount of trouble. Electrical shocks don't lag him, losing a limb does not slow or hamper him. You can't slow him, you can't blind him, you can only kill him or be killed yourself.


	19. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

A/N: I just want to get this outta the way: I have no idea where the plotline for this arc is coming from. So don't ask, enjoy the randomness my mind will no doubt spew out in the coming chapters.

Just a few miles to the west of the base was a gathering point for wild Zoids. Small fry mostly, Dimantis and Rev Raptors making up the majority of them. No one was really sure where they all came from, but every year there were more of them. This wouldn't be a problem normally, but when the group got too large they tended to interfere with the coming's and goings from the base. So, every so often the Guild got a couple of Zoids together to clear the group out. They also made handy testing targets.

A small group of Rev Raptors had broken off from the pack, heading towards the base at a lazy pace. The lead machine stopped suddenly, sniffing the air. Something had it on edge, and it started to head back to the pack. It made it all of two steps before a shell smashed through it's armor and severed it's spine. The rest of the group fared no better, as the bombardment continued. The Raptors screeched and screamed as they were torn apart. As the last one fell, the Spectre Dragon swooped in, coming to rest among the remains with a crash.

"Alright," Zephyr voice shook slightly, "Back on the ground is good."

The Dragon huffed at its master. Of course the flying Zoid would get the master afraid of flying. It payed his continued mumbling and dug into the carcases with gusto, crushing the armor and frame in its powerful jaws.

(You know what this is. Don't pretend you don't, you know damn well that this is a line break, I shouldn't have to explain it every time.)

"So how was it?" Audrey teased as Zephyr climbed down from the cockpit.

"Shut the hell up," he grumbled, "I'm working on it."

"Well, you did better than last time. Honestly, freaking out as soon as you lifted off the ground..."

"Again, shut the hell up. I'm working on it."

Audrey just shook her head. She watched him looking over the Dragon, muttering under his breath and scratching idly at the scar on his neck. That scar, she'd often wondered about it, a thin line stretching from ear to ear. It wasn't the only one he had, there was an ugly one that curled up his entire right leg, shrapnel he'd explained, and the one on the fingers of his left hand where he'd grabbed a knife in a bar fight. But he never even mentioned the one on his neck, the one in plain sight.

"Hey Zephyr," she hesitated.

"What's up?" he was completely oblivious to her uncertainty.

"I was just kinda wondering," she began, unsure, "The Royal Family counts you as a close friend, but what about your family?"

Zephyr turned to regard her, his face blank. For a second she was worried, then he sighed.

"Dunno 'bout my real family," he began, "I was adopted when I was a baby."

"I see, and they're..."

"Dead. House fire."

"I'm sorry..."

"Don't be, it's not like you did it."

Audrey was a little worried about his callous attitude towards the deaths of his adoptive parents. It really did seem like he didn't care at all. That didn't sit well with her.

"Well, I guess I can't say I've had it harder than you," she shrugged, "Both my parents raised me, out in the boonies. My sister left a few years before me, and I left when I was old enough to hold a job."

"I figured you for a country girl," Zephyr chuckled when she flipped him off, "Where are your folks now?"

"Pop passed on a couple of years ago, Mom's still in the old house. I haven't seen her in a long time..."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"It's ok, I talk to her on the long range sometimes. Time differences are a pain, but we manage."

"Must be nice, havin' a family you're close to..."

"You weren't you close to your adoptive parents?"

"Not really. They weren't incredibly fond of me."

"What about the Royal Family?"

Zephyr smiled fondly, "They're probably the closest thing I've got to a family. The King was always great, he didn't seem to care that I wasn't his, or that I was a commoner. And well, you met Jules and Ellie. I'm actually kinda surprised Mary remembers me, she was only two when I left..."

"I see...," Audrey actually looked kind of sad.

"Well, if I hadn't left, I wouldn't have met you, so I guess it all works out right? In any case, I'm gonna go recalibrate those side guns, they're a tad off."

Audrey watched him go with a smile on her face. She sighed and trotted off to her room, deciding it would be a good time to talk to her mother and older sister.

(. Now, for all you know, that may be somehow important.)

Zephyr was shooting the shit with a couple of techs when Audrey ran up to him, looking flustered. She stopped to take a deep breath before blurting out what was troubling her.

"My sister," she panted, "She's being put up as some kind of trophy for an upcoming underground tourney."

Zephyr didn't hesitate, turning to the two techs, "Get on the horn, tell the Grand Maestro I'm heading out and to get that damn door opened now," he turned to Audrey, "Grab the Gustav, it's finished getting fixed and tuned. Geist and Nacht are already on the trailers, I'll meet up with you with the Spectre Dragon. I'll hit a couple of my crew up as well, tell them what we're doing and to meet us there."

They sprinted off on their individual tasks, urgency lending them extra speed. The door was opened wide, just in time for Audrey's Gustav to speed out of it, an accompanying Gustav in the Machine Guild's burgundy and black heraldry loaded with a duo of like colored Dos Godos and a Crimson Horn. Official Machine Guild soldiers, deployed to support an ally. Only minutes later, another Gustav sped out of the door, the box trailers loaded with parts and tools, and the Dragon rocketed out of the slowly closing doors. It roared and Zephyr punched the accelerator to full.

"Let's go get 'em, "Zephyr said grimly, "Luftjäger."

(Linebreak)

The underground tourney's were a well known dirty secret in the world of Zoids. People who couldn't pay off their debts, people who needed to be disappeared to another part of the world, or people who were just in the wrong place at the wrong time could be touted as a prize in these illegal tournaments, for the victors to do with as they wished. But they weren't the only ones who's lives were often ruined here, many a loser in the brutal fighting found themselves maimed or worse, and a losing bet might make you a prize at the next one.

The tourney this month was being held, quite appropriately, in an enormous underground cavern. All throughout it were people and Zoids. Quick, pre-fab structures had been set up here and there, places to eat and sleep and otherwise. In the center of the cavern, a large, circular arena had been set up for the Zoids to fight in, and the seats were already packed as the first fight was underway. Cheers and boos could be heard alongside the sounds of weapons fire and metal hitting metal as the mercenaries and company trudged into the cavern.

"Okay," Audrey looked around, "where would my sister be..."

Zephyr said nothing, heading off towards a nearby Godos. The pilot was lounging against its, and he barely looked up when Zephyr stopped in front of him.

"What do you want, meat," he asked gruffly.

Zephyr grinned his berserker smile, "I'm lookin' t'see if the prizes are worth entering this time, where can I find 'em at?"

The man stood up at that, coming to stand right in front of Zephyr. He was a foot taller, and at least fifty pounds of muscle heavier. Zephyr didn't even blink, just continuing to smile that devil-may-care grin.

"You best be moving on, meat," the big man growled, "If you know what's good for you."

Audrey was about to step up and ask when Zephyr moved. In a blur of motion he rammed his knee into the bigger man's stomach, bending him over. At the same time, he grabbed a fistful of his hair and pulled his head back, baring his throat. Half a blink later Zephyr's knife was resting on his windpipe, a small trickle of blood running down it. Zephyr never stopped smiling.

"Now, now, that wasn't very nice," Zephyr's sing-song tone somehow made it even more frightening, "I was only askin' where I could take a look at the merchandise."

The big guy was scared out of his mind, "J-j-just back there, behind the n-n-n-noodle hut."

Zephyr nodded, his smile disappearing as he threw the man back against his Zoid. The pilot looked up at his Zoid to order it to crush Zephyr when he was the glint of gunmetal. The Shadow Fox seemingly melted out of the shadows, Vulcan pointed squarely at the Godos's head. He watched as it walked off with Zephyr before his knees finally gave out.

A/N: First thing's first, for those who don't know, the Dos Godos and Crimson Horn are from the Zoids: Rebirth Century line of models. They're awesome, but got no publicity outside Japan, no anime series either, and have since been canceled. Which sucks, cause the Crimson Horn looks badass.

Regardless of my aforementioned randomly coming up with this arc, it will introduce a couple new characters, maybe delve into Zephyr's past a little bit, and will definitely show a darker side of him. Chapters may take longer, as I want to make sure I get those little moments right on the page, and because life is being a total douche right now. Next chapter will include a Zoid bio for a Zoid that will be making an appearance in this fic sooner or later. As always, read, enjoy, review!


	20. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

randomcat: Hehe

Shadow: Careful what you wish for.

Audrey glanced around, nervous. They were surrounded by underground pilots now, men and women who thought of death as a game. A few of the men leered at her, some of the women too. Then Zephyr was there. His face was blank, his eyes were cold, and his hand never strayed far from his knife. When he met the eyes of another pilot, his face split into a crazed grin and they quickly looked away. This was a side of him Audrey had never seen before, and it was starting to scare her. Someone tried to pick his pocket, and without even looking down he pulled his knife and sliced open his palm.

"So...," she glanced around again, "How many times have you been to one of these?"

Zephyr looked back, eyes softening momentarily, "I've been to a few, good place to win parts in the side bets."

"Side bets?"

"Yeah, all the pilots do it. Before your fight, you bet a piece of your Zoid or some part you happen to have. The victor and gets the pot, the loser goes home, if they survive of course."

"Yeah, you did mention that..."

They rounded the noodle hut to find the prize pens. Iron cages, each holding a dozen or so people were on display. Men and women, even children, from every walk of life were crowded into the pens, weeping or just waiting for their names to be called. A little ways off from the them was a smaller cage for the title match prize. Audrey sprinted towards it, recognizing its occupant.

"Karen!" she cried, grabbing her sister's hand.

Karen could almost pass for Audrey's twin sister. Fiery red hair framed her heart-shaped face, and her deep maroon eyes held a familiar determination in them, even as she hugged her tightly through the bars.

"Audrey," there were tears in her eyes, "What are you doing here?"

"I came to get you," Audrey was showing no signs of letting go.

"You can't, these people will kill you."

"I do believe that's where I come in," Zephyr stepped up and gently pried Audrey off her sister.

"And you are?" Karen asked.

"Zephyr, I'm a friend of Audrey's. I'm here to help."

"But how can you, I'm set to go to the title winner."

"You leave that to me, but one way or another you're going home with us."

Zephyr left Audrey with her sister to catch up and the Machine Guild soldiers to guard them. He wandered around to the roster, looking to the title match up.

"Jack Gareer, huh," he mumbled, "And he's fighting... The Indomitable Gared? Honestly..."

Zephyr walked away, looking around for one of them. He spotted a König Wolf with an absolutely dreadful paint job, the pilot's name painted in neon on the side. He wandered over to it to find the pilot lounging in a folding chair. The pilot was dressed like a Luchadore, and looked like he was made of solid muscle. As Zephyr walked up to him, he stood up and cracked his neck. Zephyr looked up into his eyes, he was at least two feet taller than him.

"You're Gared?" he asked.

"That's the Indomitable Gared, punk," he roared.

"Yeah, I refuse to call you that. I'm lookin' to help a friend out, but I need to have the title match for that. Any chance you'll drop out?"

"The Indomitable Gared doesn't drop out for anyone, especially not punks like you!"

"I figured as much..."

Zephyr didn't hesitate, pulling his knife and burying it in the muscle head's gut. Before he could shout, Zephyr quickly wrenched it to the side, opening him like a tin can. He wiped his knife clean on the man's pants before returning it to his sheath. He then quickly walked away from the still warm corpse.

"Well, it looks like there's an opening in the roster," he chuckled.

(Line Break II: The Return of Line Break)

Zephyr found his companions much as he'd left them, Audrey and Karen talking animatedly. None of the other pilots wanted to mess with the heavily armed Machine Guild guards, so they had been undisturbed so far.

"Zephyr," Audrey greeted, "Where'd you get off to?"

"Ah, I was checking the roster for the title match," he grinned sheepishly, "We may have to enter and win your sister, if we can't threaten the owner or buy her."

"I see."

"Ah, Mr. Zephyr," Karen hesitated, "I want to thank you for looking after my sister."

"Ah, don't worry about it," he rubbed the back of his head, "She looks out for me most of the time anyway."

"So, are we entered?" Audrey asked.

"Nah, the title match had already been decided."

"Hey, did y'all hear," someone in the crowd shouted, "Someone gutted the Indomitable Gared! The title match is open!"

Zephyr was gone in a flash, putting his name in and securing it before any of the other prospects could. The roster read it loud and clear, Zephyr and Jack. Zephyr walked back to his party grinning.

"Talk about a lucky break, huh?" he grinned.

"Yeah but, what if they come after you?" Audrey asked, worried.

"Nah, it was probably a personal dispute. I wouldn't worry about it."

Zephyr walked off to finalize his entry. Audrey was still worried, and it showed. Her hands were in constant motion, and her glancing around became even more fervent. But now it was focused in the direction he had gone in, looking for anyone who might try something.

"He's not telling you everything," Karen whispered, not wanting the Guild members to hear.

"Huh," Audrey was wide eyed at her sister's accusation.

"He isn't being completely honest with you is what I'm saying. He knows something about this, but he won't say what."

"...if he isn't saying, he has a good reason."

Audrey didn't want to doubt Zephyr like that, but her sister wasn't often wrong. And this entire situation was out of her element, yet he had adjusted almost instantly. She trusted him implicitly, but something wasn't adding up.

"Excuse me."

Audrey looked up to see a man standing just outside their protective ring of guards. As opposed to the rest of the pilots, he didn't seem to care about the Guild members, and stood completely at ease. His blond hair was a mess, and his brown eyes were glistening with boyish excitement, while his leather jacket and jeans screamed "bad boy."

"Yes..." Audrey was unsure what he could want with them.

"Sorry to bother you, but you're the ones that came with Zephyr, right?"

"How do you know Zephyr?"

"We were on the same Zoid team, a few years back. We weren't well known, but we did well enough."

"That's great, but your name is?"

"Oh, where are my manners, my names Jack, Jack Gareer."

A/N: I am well aware that I stole the part thing from Medabots, I enjoyed the first anime. Leave me alone. The tourney will be a couple of battles long, I may include a couple of battles between other people for shits and giggles. And, as promised, here's the Zoid that will be making an appearance at some point, probably with a few changes.

Small note, the format I use for my Zoid creations is the same used for the Zoid RPG I talked about a few chapters back. It's an awesome site, I can't recommend it enough. Join up and get into the fight, and tell 'em Zephyr sent ya.

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go drool over the idea of an HMM Shadow Fox and wish it would come out sooner. And that I wouldn't be poor when it does.

Name: Prickle King  
Family: New World Porcupine  
Height: 7.0 meters  
Length: 15.3 meters  
Weight: 24 tons  
Top Speed: 100 kph  
Weapons: 40mm Repeaters, 60mm Cannon, 30mm Machine Gun, Armored Quills, Hardened Alloy Teeth and Claws  
Abilities:  
Class: Gamma

Description

The Prickle King started as a drunken bet between two Machine Guild technicians to see who could build the more ridiculous looking yet functional Zoid. Needless to say, the technician who built the King won. The Prickle King is a weird looking machine, but don't let that fool you, it's a dangerous one as well.

The King is a tank, boasting armor equal with that of the King Liger. While not as heavily armored as other tanks in its class, the Prickle King has another layer of armor. The Armored Quills are both weapon and armor, covering the Zoid in a protective coating of sharpened spears. Coupled with the Repeaters, Cannon, and Machine Guns, the Prickle King is not to be underestimated.

Weapons

40mm Repeaters

Two of these are mounted on the Zoids back, one on either side of the cannon. These 40mm Repeaters are relatively simple, firing in three round bursts once a second. The stability of the Prickle King itself coupled with the natural accuracy of repeaters in general makes these the King's weapon of choice for precision firing.

60mm Cannon

Mounted in the center of the Prickle King's back is its main armament, the 60mm Cannon. Much like the repeaters, simplicity is the name of the game here. The Cannon fires one round every second, and the Prickle King must be more or less stationary to have any accuracy. The Cannon is can rotate 30 degrees up and down, but cannot move horizontally.

30mm Machine Gun

The 30mm Machine Gun is mounted facing backwards behind the cannon, just before the Zoid's tail. It fires 15 rounds per second and is capable of rotating 30 degrees side to side and 45 degrees up and down.

Armored Quills

Covering the Zoid from it's head to the tip of its tail are the Armored Quills. Serving a dual function as an additional layer of armor and a surprisingly effective melee weapon, it could be said that these are the iconic equipment of this Zoid. The quills themselves are about as strong as Cannon Panther armor, yet are surprisingly flexible. Any Zoid that attacks the King in close combat is bound to get some of these stuck in them, and due to the barbs that deploy once the quills are detached from the King's body, they're a pain to get out. While you may not CTF your opponent with them, a Zoid with too many in their Zoid may find their movements hampered, a dangerous proposition in a battle. The Zoids long tail is perfect for smacking an opponent and leaving a bunch of these annoyances. However, if too many quills are lost, the Zoid will lose it's dual layer of armor in those areas, making it more vulnerable to shelling.

Hardened Alloy Teeth and Claws

While not the best at it, the King's sharp teeth and claws ensure that an opponent that decides to fight up close will not get away unscathed.


	21. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

A/N: I did tell y'all to be careful what you ask for.

"So I'm all set then?" Zephyr leaned on the sign-up counter casually.

"Yessir," the clerk was quick to reassure him, "You'll have three matches, and a loss in any of them puts you out of the running, but if you make it through you'll get to fight in the title match."

"Awesome, thank you for your time."

Zephyr left the counter muttering irritably. With the death of one of the title match's competitors, the big wigs who ran this fiasco saw an opportunity to make some more money. So they started a damn tourney for the other spot. He'd thought he'd made things simpler, but instead he'd just drawn the process out. Still, he was in the running, which was a start.

"Now, where the fuck were pens again..." Zephyr glanced around, trying to get his bearings.

(My milkshake brings all the... how long have you been there? I wasn't doing anything...)

\

"So, Mr. Gareer, how do you know Zephyr?" Karen asked, settling down in her cage.

"Oh that's easy," his smile was wide, "Zephyr and I were on the same team a long time ago. After he left, we fought on occasion. I usually win, but that Fox of his is a tricky one..."

"So Zephyr has competed in these before?" Audrey injected herself into the conversation.

"A few times, though he never takes the prizes with him. And there have been a couple who were more than willing..."

Audrey couldn't really comprehend what she was hearing. Zephyr had said on more than one occasion how he hated the underground tournaments. But this man had fought him, more than once, at just such an event. That he had beaten Zephyr in most of those was another thing she found hard to believe, but she was willing to take it with a grain of salt.

"So he's no real stranger to events such as these?" Karen pounced on that information.

"Oh yes, he hasn't been to one in over a year though..." Jack looked sad as he said that.

"Is he a friend of yours?" Audrey asked.

"Friend isn't the right term, miss. I have gone up against many people, and some have beaten me. But Zephyr is the only one who entertains me, he's always coming up with a new trick to try to tear my head off."

Audrey didn't like the gleam he had in his eye. This man was not as friendly as he had brought them to believe. He was dangerous. She glanced to see Karen coming to the same conclusion, and the guards were just a little closer to them.

"Holy shit, is that Jackie Boy?"

Zephyr bounded over and clapped Jack across the back, laughing the whole time.

"Zephyr! It's been too damn long!" Jack laughed with him.

Audrey watched as the two bickered back and forth like old friends. But she could see the small signs that said it was all a sham. Zephyr's hand on Jack's shoulder was gripping so hard his knuckles were white, and their smiles were forced. And their eyes, they were glaring at each other like two starving wolves fighting over a scrap of meat.

"Well, I hope I'll see you in the title match, my friend," Jack shouted as he walked off.

Zephyr was on Audrey an instant later, "Did he touch you? What did he talk to you about? Fuck, are you okay?"

Audrey couldn't help but smile softly at his worried tone.

"I'm fine," she reassured him, "He didn't go past the guards, and all he wanted to talk about was you."

"You," Karen put in, her voice full of distrust, "You have some explaining to do."

Zephyr chuckled nervously, "I guess I do..."

Zephyr settled down on the ground in front of the cage with a sigh. He ruffled his hair a bit, and Audrey took the time to get a good look at him. He looked tired, like this whole thing was wearing him down. She decided that they needed to take a good vacation after all this was over.

"Where to begin...," he started, "Well, I guess I should start with how I got this gig. It was just after I left the Royal Family. I was strapped for-"

"Wait," Karen interjected, "You were with the Relenvies?"

"Please hold all questions until after the monologue," Zephyr answered irritably, "Anyway, I was strapped for cash and was basically looking for any job that paid. I stumbled across this posting for a Zoid tourney. I won it pretty easily, and got scouted for the underground. I hadn't heard a lot about it, so I didn't know about the whole human prizes. So, I took them up on their offer, won the title match my first time in. That was also the first time I beat Jack."

"So after you found out about the 'prizes,' what then?" Audrey asked.

"Well, I let the poor guy go and made like a bat outta hell with the money," he laughed, "Still, I came back for a couple more tourneys, I was still flat broke. I didn't win too many more title matches, but I did pretty well in the basic circuits. As to the 'prizes,' I basically did the same thing every time, let 'em go and take the cash. But after what happened at the last tourney, well, I didn't come back."

"What happened at the last one," Karen pushed.

And she pushed to far, as it were. Zephyr fixed her with a cold glare.

"You don't need to know," he spat, "I'm trying to get your ass outta here, the least you can do is give me a little trust and some goddamn privacy."

That seemed to take her aback, and she backed off. Audrey looked a little worried though, it wasn't like him to just be venomous like that. A sarcastic ass, sure, but never a jerk. Zephyr walked off muttering about something or other, the Guild members following after making sure no one was going to bother them. Audrey was left alone with her sister, who she turned to with a troubled expression.

"I think you might have pissed him off," she sighed.

Her sister just nodded mutely, afraid she might've just alienated the best chance of her getting out of here.

(Fucking-A it's hot in this goddamn state. It's 11 o'fucking-clock at night and it's 80 goddamn degrees. What. The. Fuck.)

Zephyr sat back in his seat, content to wait. Luftjäger, on the other hand, was not. The Dragon swung it's head from side to side restlessly, waiting for their opponent. They had been sitting on their side of the arena for over ten minutes now, and the waiting was starting to irritate the blood red Zoid.

"Easy Luft," Zephyr patted the dash, "Save it for our opponent, eh? I'm sure they'll be more than able to satiate us both. I need to tear something apart just as much as you do."

The Dragon growled in agreement, but didn't cease his motions. The predatory instincts instilled deep inside him couldn't be calmed with words alone, and they screamed to hunt the prey instead of waiting for it. Zephyr chuckled at the Zoid's actions, knowing exactly what was going on in its head. He was counting on the Zoid's ferocity and the fact that his opponent would have no idea what to expect from it. The doors on the other side of the arena finally opened, admitting their competitor.

"All right folks," the announcer boomed through the speakers, "In the red corner, making his triumphant return after more than a year. Piloting the mysterious new Spectre Dragon, Zephyr!"

Luftjäger roared, the volume quickly silencing the cheers of the crowd into hushed murmurs. Zephyr chuckled again, glad the Zoid was enjoying itself.

"And, in the blue corner, trying for another chance at the reigning champ. You know him, you love to hate him, Yuri!"

Zephyr focused on his opponent now, ignoring Luftjäger's growl of challenge. The Elephander trumpeted its own challenge, stomping the ground with thunderous footsteps. It was a Command model, which meant the head would be less heavily armored, but the ear mounted rocket launchers would make up for that. He eyed the Assault Gatling replacing it's back mounted beam cannons nervously, that thing would painful. This would require as much finesse as it did brute strength.

"Well now, you all know 'em, you all want to see them in pieces! Pilots, ready! Set! Fight!"

It started more or less instantly. Luft roared and started forward, juking left and right to make himself a harder target. He couldn't fly, not in this arena, but that didn't make him any less dangerous. The back mounted cannons started firing, the first shell slamming into the Elephander's foot before it could raise it's shield. The remaining rounds slammed into the shield, small cracks starting to appear from the heavy bombardment. But the Dragon wasn't done, and neither was it's pilot. Zephyr yanked the controls, sending Luft into a skid, putting him side-on with the Elephander. The cannons rotated, presenting both the heavy back mounted weapons and the side mounted guns, and opened fire. The sheer volume of fire was too much, and the shield started to crack worse.

"How do you like that, bitch!" Zephyr cackled.

Unfortunately, the Dragon's skid brought it too close to the Elephander, and it was quick to exact vengeance. The ESCS quickly switched to it's energy sword configuration and the trunk lashed out, slicing through the Dragon's right wing and the barrels of the back mounted cannons. Luft roared in pain, and howled even louder when it switched to beam cannon mode and blasted him full in the side. The heavy beam cannon destroyed the side guns and rent a molten hole in the Dragon's armor. But Zephyr wasn't done.

The Dragon howled in rage, leaping to claw at the Elephander's ears. The chest mounted machine gun array started, all four barrels erupting into a fiery inferno as they spat out a storm of incendiary rounds, chipping away the armor on the Elephander's head. The energy sword came in again, but Zephyr was ready for it, swatting it away with the Dragon's heavy tail. The Elephander bucked suddenly, throwing its head to the side and the Dragon with it. Luftjäger landed heavily, but got to his feet quickly and leapt at the Elephander again as it unloaded with the missile launcher on the Assault Gatling. A cluster of warheads exploded on the Spectre's back, mangling the already useless cannon array, but the rest detonated harmlessly on the ground. Zephyr growled as he punched a button to eject the destroyed cannons from the Dragon's back. The Assault Gatling rotated quickly, bringing the gatling gun to bear and firing away, rounds tearing into the Dragon as it sailed through the air on a collision course with the Elephander.

Luftjäger screamed as he slammed into the Elephander's side, succeeding in knocking the mammoth machine over and impaling his horn in its side. The Dragon wrenched the scimitar like horn from the Elephander's side, then its huge maw went to work, tearing an enormous chunk out of the struggling Zoid's side. Wasting no time, Zephyr depressed the firing stud, and a river of molten plasma rushed forth from Luftjäger's maw to flood the Elephander's internal workings with white-hot liquid fire. As it thrashed in agony, the trunk and energy sword flew towards the Dragon's throat, overcharged in the pilot's thirst to take the Dragon and it's pilot with him. The ESCS whined shrilly as the energies threatened to overload, even as the energy sword speared through the air to pierce the Dragon's throat.

The explosion rocked the arena, and Audrey stood in shock as the smoke obscured the Zoids from view.

A/N: Who's your favorite arch-bastard? That's right, it's me! I figured I needed to put some metallic carnage in there before we all fell asleep. But seriously, what a head trip this has been so far. Twenty fucking chapters and forty-seven pages. I know that's not an incredibly huge milestone, but I honestly never expected this fic to go this long. Seriously, after I actually decided to develop my little teaser into a full story, I thought I was gonna stop after, I dunno, ten. Now, I don't actually see an end in sight, it's some far off ideal. Zephyr and crew have quite a few more adventures in store, I can promise you that. Unfortunately, I can say that you may have to wait a little longer for new chapters, as I'm now starting a new job and getting ready to start the push for getting into college. I'm gonna be busy, but I swear I will work on this fix every chance I get.

As such, I've had something buggin' me for a while. Organoids. They're in my fic, they're kinda the ultimate Zoids plaything really. But I don't really want Zephyr to have one. Pretty well every Zoids fanfic of this type, the main character ends up with either A) The Ultimate Zoid, or B) An Organoid. As you can tell from my writing style, I abhor the ultimate Zoid cliché, and love tearing my main character a new one, even when he comes out on top. But the Organoid thing, I dunno. I don't hate the idea, I've had an interesting storyline for finding it in mind for a little while, even have a kick-ass design that I can take no credit for. But I'm not sure I want Zephyr to have one. They'll certainly play a part in the story, both major and minor, but I'm still weighing the pros and cons of giving the main character one. If you guys want to weigh in on it, feel free to leave it in a review or PM me, I'm always happy for honest opinions. Either way, the decision won't be made for some time, unlike the Bio-Zoids. Oh yes, I haven't forgotten them. There are special plans for them.

And, just to see if you actually read these things, there will be a few small adjustments to the Spectre Dragon's bio. I want to make it a bit clearer as to it's general body shape, and I made it too damn tall. But, for now, I'll just put here that it has a similar body structure to the Gojulas Giga, just on all fours.


	22. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

A/N: Yeah, I know what I said last time. But I have a day off and nothing else to do, so I'm gonna write as much as I can. I am writer, hear me roar. Rawr.

The audience waited in stunned silence for the inky black smoke to clear. The groan of moving metal sounded, and the smoke dissipated to reveal the Spectre Dragon. The armor on the right side of its face was gone, as was the entire right front leg. But it roared in triumph all the same, it had fared better than the Elephander. The energy from the ESCS overload had backfired into the Zoid's core. Already weakened by the Dragon's plasma, it caused a chain reaction that ultimately blew the Elephander to pieces.

The audience was silent a moment more, then they erupted into cheers. Chants of Zephyr's name started, and many an audience member was carted off to make good on their wagers. Audrey meanwhile was collecting her winnings, and not a small number either. She had come to the conclusion that Zephyr had to win every fight, and so had bet that he would. She reasoned that if he didn't win, they'd have bigger problems than debt collectors. She looked down into the arena to see Zephyr directing a salvage Zoid to collect the Assault Gatling as his prize. It didn't look like it was too badly mangled from where Audrey was standing, though Zephyr probably had a better view of it.

Zephyr sighed as they collected his prize. The Assault Gatling was pretty torn up, but luckily enough the overload had triggered the ejection system, throwing it away instead of slagging it in the explosion. It would need some work, but he was confident he could fix it up good enough to sell.

"Mr. Zephyr, your winnings."

Zephyr turned to see a man with a briefcase leading a woman on a leash. She was absolutely stunning, and barely clothed. The sultry smile she was giving him told him exactly what she was, some thrill seeker who wanted to be property of an underground Zoid pilot, to be treated like an object.

"Eh, let her go," he shrugged, "I'm not interested in keeping slaves. Leave the cash though."

Even he got a little chuckle at the crestfallen look she gave him as she was led away. He didn't want some nubile slave girl that was eager to please. He snorted, knowing she'd be right back in the pens at the next one, still hoping to become just that.

"Idiots," he muttered as he walked off to his designated hangar.

He looked across the small hangar they'd erected for him and growled. Luft had taken way more damage than he'd liked, and his crew was currently fixing him as fast as they could. It wouldn't be fast enough, he'd need to test the connections in the new leg to make sure everything worked right, and he didn't have time. He glanced over to Nacht, the lazy raptor taking a nap. He'd have to hope he could handle his next opponent.

"Hey Zephyr!," he looked over and saw Audrey running over to him.

"What's up, Sparks," he greeted.

For once, she didn't try to hit him, "Look at all the money I won!"

He had to admit, her obsession with money was well founded at the moment. The pile of cash in the duffel she had was enough to buy another high-performance Zoid, with enough left over to mod it to death.

"...damn, how bad were my odds?" he asked.

"Seventeen to one," she said proudly.

Zephyr got all wide eyed at that, he didn't expect that. That was basically a vote of no confidence, that he had no chance of winning. He didn't know whether to laugh at his victory over the odds or cry that they had no faith in him.

"Well, I glad at least someone had faith in me," he joked.

"Just keep winning and the faith will survive," she shot back.

"Now then, what say you we go see the competition, eh?"

(Still too goddamn hot. Fuck the sun, fuck the failing ozone layer, fuck the clouds that never get in front of the fucking sun. Fuck this weather.)

They made it just in time to see the beginning of the fight. A Command Wolf equipped with a heavy Attack Unit stood alone in the arena, firing every which way. They couldn't see any opponent, and no incoming fire.

"A Helcat maybe..." Zephyr wondered.

The Command Wolf started running around, the turret swinging around wildly, firing the whole time. It looked like the pilot was just having a nervous breakdown, running around with no apparent strategy. Then, the Wolf stumbled suddenly, it's front left leg sinking into a hole in the ground. When the Wolf's head slammed into the ground, the hidden Warshark burst through the soft dirt with its jaws wide. The fish slammed its maw shut around the Wolf's head, and the Wolf stilled. It threw the crushed cockpit away, sinking back into the ground.

"And the winner," the announcer boomed, "Still undefeated, Kimberly Suyt!"

Zephyr looked over to Audrey, his face blank, "We're fucked."

(Must haves the precious... I wants it, they tooks it, precious. Sneaky hobbitses... What? My brothers stole my Snickers.)

Zephyr found himself in the arena once again, though he didn't relax for a moment. Nacht knew what the opponent was, and was tracking his guns back and forth as well. The Wild Weasel Unit had been upgraded with new parts from the Machine Guild, reducing the cool down time by more than half, but that wouldn't help if they couldn't hit the target. There was no sign of the Warshark, but that meant nothing. It could be lurking just under the ground, waiting for the match to start. His fears were apparently well founded, as the announcer started his spiel.  
"In the blue corner, we have Zephyr!" the guy was loving this, "In the red corner, ready to make another notch on her belt, Kim Suyt!"

Zephyr had taken a gander at the odds for this fight. Twenty-three to one, Audrey was loving it, betting all her past winnings on it. He patted the dash to reassure Nacht, eliciting a growl of confidence.

"Pilots ready! Set! Fight!"

Nacht wasted no time, locking down and opening fire. Total Assault. The ground was shattered, turning into a messed up mash of craters as Nacht unleashed a torrent of firepower. Nacht didn't bother following through, quickly disengaging his foot locks and shunting water into the Wild Weasel Unit's cooling system. Zephyr knew it was useless to move around with the Warshark lurking. He was hoping that the torn up ground would show signs of its passage. A spot of dirt shifted, and Nacht wasted no time in opening fire with his wrist mounted gatlings, tearing into the dirt. Zephyr swore he spotted a spark, but it was quickly gone. So busy checking the opposite side of the arena, he completely missed the shift in the dirt directly in front of Nacht.

The Warshark erupted from the ground, its jaws wide open and on a collision course with Nacht's head. Zephyr didn't think, he just reacted. He punched the firing stud for the tail mounted rifle. Without being locked down, the recoil sent the Gun Sniper into a forward tumble, narrowly avoiding the flying Warshark. Nacht was quick to catch on, stabilizing his stance and biting down on the Warshark's underbelly as it passed over it's head. Zephyr twisted the controls, and Nacht tossed the Zoid onto the ground.

"Alright Nacht," he grinned, "Let's have us a fish fry!"

Nacht hissed in glee, foot locks engaging. The Wild Weasel Unit slammed the stricken Zoid with a storm of lead, tearing the entire Zoid to pieces. The crowd looked on in awe as the Gun Sniper just kept firing, the Warshark quickly being reduced to a pile of scrap metal. Audrey laughed, practically skipping to the booky, who had the good grace to stop his muttering as he gave Audrey her money.

Nacht stopped firing when the Wild Weasel Unit overheated, water-cooling system steaming as it tried to cool the barrels to bearable temperatures. Miraculously, he'd managed to avoid turning the Warshark's cockpit into a mound of bloody scrap, and Kim pulled herself out. She was grinning like mad, and saluted Zephyr before heading off to her own hangar. Zephyr couldn't help it, he laughed. He was starting to enjoy this.

A/N: I've decided on a name for this fucking planet. I think I'll call it... Bob. No, but seriously, there are some who call it... Tim. I could do this all day.

Okay, okay, I'm done quoting, the planets name is Ire. Simple reason really, the damn thing gained my ire for being so hard to come up with a non-stupid name. So, Ire it is.


	23. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

A/N: This entire chapter is awesome, and will probably make a few people angry. Ya know, if more than my two favorite reviewers actually read this. Seriously people, I'm happy just to write these, but if you enjoy them, leave a review!

Shadow: Yes, Nacht is awesome. He's a friggin' Gun Sniper.

"Well, it seemed like a good idea at the time..." Zephyr grumbled.

Nacht lay on his trailer in their hangar, both feet having been taken apart. It turned out that his little stunt with the gun, while saving his head, had stressed the ankle joints. His subsequent use of the Wild Weasel Unit had stressed them to the breaking point. Now he had to completely rebuild those joints. Which of course meant he'd have to use Geist in the final match, even though he was hoping to save him for the title match.

"Dammit. Well Geist, you up for it?" he patted Geist's leg.

The Shadow Fox growled, stamping a foot. It wanted to fight, he knew. Zephyr sighed, he was starting to get irritated by this damn tourney, his Zoids were getting torn apart.

"Alright, Geist. Let's go get 'em."

(I want a killer rabbit. I don't know why, but seriously, do you really need a reason to want a killer rabbit?)

Zephyr found himself waiting for his opponent in the arena for the third time today. The mood was different this time, though. He loved all his Zoids, he really did. But Geist was special. Geist had been with him the longest, he was his best friend. The two of them even thought alike. Geist and his master sat in the arena, completely at ease. There wasn't much that could shake their confidence. The gates on the opposite end opened slowly, and their opponent was revealed.

"You have _got_ to be kidding me..." Zephyr moaned.

The Liger Zero roared and leapt into the arena. Geist growled and hunched down, readying itself for the fight. There wasn't much that could shake their confidence, but a Liger Zero could. Between the two high performance Zoids, the Liger was superior in a stand up fight, and the Arena was just a tad too small for the Fox to use its full bag of tricks. Luckily for them, it was using it's standard CAS armor, so they didn't have to worry about laser blades or enormous cannons.

"Well, fuck me sideways," Zephyr bitched anyway.

"Alright, ladies and gentlemen," the announcer boomed, the volume at maximum, "We are finally at the final match! The winner of this will move on to face our champion in the title match, the winner of this match will have the chance to win our title prize! Who will it be? Let me hear your favorites!"

The crowd erupted into screams of their favorites. Audrey shouted Zephyr's name at the top of her lungs, silently praying that he had something up his sleeve. The odds for this match were brutal, forty-three to one. If he won, they'd both be rich. If he lost, they'd be fucked.

"Well, ladies and gentlemen, whoever wins, we'll be in for a treat! Pilots ready! Set! Fight!"

Zephyr wasted no time punching up the optical camouflage. He rarely used it as he more than likely could use the environment as cover, but right now he'd use every advantage he could get. The Liger Zero immediately started firing, the chest mounted Impact Cannon scoring a line of craters where Geist had been a moment earlier. The Shadow Fox sprinted around the Liger, the Vulcan chattering the entire time. But the Liger Zero's pilot wasn't stupid. Even as the rounds chipped chipped and sheared away at the armor, he kept an eye on the muzzle flashes. As soon as the Shadow Fox rounded in front of the Liger, it pounced. Zephyr yanked the controls to try to get away, but the Liger pulsed its boosters for the extra distance.

The Liger Zero slammed into Geist, jaws clamping down on the Vulcan to keep it away while the Liger's paws hammered the Fox again and again. The Liger's claws began to glow with murderous light.

"Fuck, Geist!" Zephyr shouted.

There wasn't much Geist could do in this situation except join the fun. He rotated the Vulcan to bring the Liger around so he could slam his own glowing claws into it. The two Zoids smashed each other again and again, The Liger continuing to gnaw on Geist's Vulcan. The Liger was stronger than Geist, and its blows smashed through his armor like it wasn't even there. But Geist had years of experience, and was more than willing to hurt himself to damage the Liger. So the second Zephyr received the warning reporting of breaches in the Vulcan's barrels, he fired. The damaged barrels couldn't take the stress of firing, and exploded in the Liger's mouth. It reared back, roaring in pain, and Geist darted in and slammed a paw into the Liger's chest, crushing the Impact Cannon and setting of the remaining rounds, making a crater in the Liger's chest armor. They were now on more even footing, and the Fox howled.

(Meanwhile, at the Legion of Doom... Who actually remembers that show?)

Karen lounged in her cell, waiting for the current match to be over. She could hear the cheers of the crowd and the sounds of the Zoids fighting. Audrey had told her Zephyr had won his first two matches, so she was hopeful. But as the match dragged on and on, she began to wonder if they were having trouble.

"Hey miss, you look like you're worried about something."

Karen looked up to see Jack standing right at the bars of her cage. The look in his eyes was not friendly.

"What do you want?" she asked brusquely.

"My my, not very hospitable, are we? I just thought I'd come over and chat."

She glared at him, refusing to speak. They stood like that for a while, the only sounds coming from the arena.

"You know he isn't going to win," he said suddenly.

Karen couldn't even muster the will to speak in the face of his brutal honesty.

"He almost never does," he continued, seemingly oblivious to the distress his words were causing, "Out of, what, seven fights he's only won twice, and by the narrowest margins. I'll beat him for sure, and you'll be going home with me."

Her eyes started to tear up, not wanting to hear this. He brought his face down to her level, his eyes leering at her.

"But don't worry," he hissed, "You'll _love_ being my little slave."

It wasn't until he was far enough away for his cruel laughter to be carried away on the winds that Karen let herself cry.

(Courage the Cowardly Dog was the best thing on Cartoon Network. Just thought I'd share that honest to god truth.)

Geist threw himself at the Liger once again, managing a glancing blow on it's head before the Liger Zero tossed him to the side. The battle was starting to wear on the pair, and Zephyr panted heavily from the exertion. The Shadow Fox was battered and torn up, armor plates either missing or hanging on by thin scraps of metal. He'd ejected the slagged Vulcan, and the Fox's back had been raked by the Liger's Strike Laser Claws, leaving jagged, cherry red gashed down it. But the Liger had not been unscathed, and the Fox was wearing it down. The right energy siphon in its face was gone, as were the Ion Boosters. Somewhere in the melee, the Liger had also lost its tail, leaving a short, sparking length behind.

"Alright Geist," Zephyr growled, "This guy is irritating me just as much as he's irritating you. Let's gut him."

Geist howled in agreement, firing the smoke dischargers. The arena filled with inky black smoke, and the Liger growled in confusion, looking left and right for the Fox. The Fox was completely silent as it stalked closer to the Liger, hunching down in anticipation. The Liger turned swiftly, lashing out with a glowing claw. In the wrong direction. With the Liger's back turned, the Fox lunged, grabbing hold of the Ligers rear right leg and smashing and scraping it with its own glowing claws. The Liger Zero yowled in pain and bucked, trying desperately to get the Fox off it. But Geist would not be denied, and he latched on tighter, pulling with all his strength. The Liger wailed as the Fox pulled its leg off, slowly and painfully. A final wrench and the Liger fell to the ground screaming in pain as Geist tossed the leg to the side.

"Alright, now we're talkin'," Zephyr chuckled sadistically, "Let's put the kitty out of his misery, shall we?"

An opponent missing a leg was no match for the agile Fox, even if it was a Liger Zero. The Liger lunged awkwardly for the Fox, but Geist simply leapt over the clumsy cat. Turning far more swiftly than the Liger could hope to, Geist struck once, twice, three times on the cats head. Not willing to take any more abuse, the enemy pilot signaled his surrender. The Fox gave the Liger one more knock, on the shoulder this time, to make his dominance clear. The Liger dragged itself through the gate, whining pitifully the whole time.

Zephyr slumped back into his seat and sighed, "Well, that went well."

Geist huffed at his indifference, setting off for their hangar slowly, so as to enjoy the cheers of the crowd.

"Ya know Geist," Zephyr pondered, "Audrey is probably incredibly happy with us..."

Meanwhile, up at the booky stand, a crying booky handed Audrey an enormous pile of bills. The evil grin on her face would've made Zephyr proud.

A/N: And thus, I have made another of my favorite Zoids look like a bitch. I love the Liger Zero, especially in its standard CAS armor. That being said, the Shadow Fox is a tricky son of a bitch, while the Liger Zero is kinda a one trick pony. I definitely did not want this to be a one sided fight, and Geist didn't get off easy. That being said, Shadow Fox pwns Liger Zero if the pilot knows how to use the damn Zoid.

And before anyone says it, the Shadow Fox _does_ have optical camo, check the official stats. Why it was never used in New Century Zero, I shall never know. Brad would've been so much more successful then.

Now, I've talked about combat Zoids and high-performance Zoids in this fic, so I thought I'd share a bit about them. On Ire, Zoids are lumped into one of four unofficial groups: Labor Zoids, Combat Zoids, Multi-Role Zoids, and High-Performance Zoids. Labor Zoids are Zoids unfit for combat use, and as such are only used for domestic purposes like construction or farming. This may be because they were designed for that purpose or that the design is just too old to be usable on the battlefield. Combat Zoids are Zoids fit for use in battle that are not very good for domestic use. Mutli-Role Zoids are in the middle, Zoids that are usable for domestic purposes and combat. This can be because of their great customizability, such as the Godos, or their design itself lending itself to both roles, such as the Molga. High-Performance Zoids are not a category of their own, but rather a group of Zoids within the groups that are deemed exceptional or state of the art. Most High-Performance Zoids are combat use, but some are in the Multi-Role category. There are no High-Performance Labor Zoids.

And no, I will not make a list, use your imagination. And yes, against all reason I like the Molga.


	24. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

A/N: This is my longest chapter yet, I actually think it's my longest chapter ever. And most of it's violence. Yes, I'm happy. And yes, that was a Titan A.E. reference you saw, random. The second was from Monty Python and the Holy Grail, the funniest movie in existence.

(Onto the motherfucking violence!)

Zephyr muttered irritably, some of the wording making his fellow techs nervous. Due to the tremendous damage Geist had taken in the last battle, Jack had seen fit to give Zephyr a twenty-four hour grace period so he could make repairs. Zephyr appreciated it, even if he knew his motives weren't kosher. The psycho probably just wanted to fight him at full strength. That was fine with Zephyr, he had a few tricks planned for him...

"Maestro," one tech wandered up to Zephyr, "The extra plates are here."

"Awesome," he grinned, "Let's get started, I want those hips finished in an hour. No one sleeps until Geist is one-hundred percent, got it?"

The chorus of "Yes sir!" was music to his ears.

(Guess what? Still too fucking hot. And there's poisonous snakes. I love snakes, but not the ones that can kill me. Fuck. This. State.)

Audrey wanted to kill Jack. She had skipped over to Karen's pen to show her just how rich they were, only to find her sobbing in her cage. After she finally got her calm enough to tell her what happened, Karen had to physically hold her back from hunting Jack down and throttling him. Then she had to hold her back from running to Zephyr and getting him to throttle Jack.

"Please, you can't tell him!" Karen pleaded.

"Why the fuck not!" Audrey wasn't hearing it, "He's a dead man, sis, a dead man!"

"If you tell him, it'll just distract him in the fight! He might lose!"

Audrey didn't think of that. Yes, Zephyr tended to channel his anger and irritation into a more vicious and brutal fighting style, but from what she'd heard about Jack, he was going to need careful planning to have a chance of winning. If he knew about this, he wouldn't give a fuck about plans, he'd try his damnedest to tear Jack in half.

"Please Audrey!" Karen started crying again.

"...fine," Audrey finally acquiesced, "But as soon as the match is over, I'm telling him. What he does from there is not on me."

Karen nodded, still crying. Audrey knelt down to hug her through the bars, silently praying that Zephyr would kill him in the match. The bastard deserved nothing less.

(I want a goddamn HMM of the Shadow Fox. I suck at models, but I want a damn HMM Shadow Fox. Hurry up and release, dammit!)

Zephyr smiled at the scene before him. The crew had sent him off to get some sleep before the match, swearing they'd finish the repairs by the time he'd woken up. And they had. Geist looked good as new, better even. The shoulders and hips had additional plates on the top, and the Vulcan had an additional sensor mounted on the top of it. The internal works were worked over too, replaced with a stronger, lighter alloy. The drive systems had been completely replaced with a more advanced selection, increasing efficiency and power. Small additions, but ones that Jack wouldn't expect. The crew themselves were strewn about, sleeping wherever they had dropped. One enterprising fellow had simply opened the bottom drawer of a tool chest and laid down in it, oblivious to the fact that it was full of tools. Zephyr chuckled as one of his senior technicians mumbled in his sleep, something about calibrating a gyroscope.

"Good job guys," Zephyr said proudly, turning to his Shadow Fox, "You ready to go, partner?"

Geist looked his master in the eye and nodded. Wordlessly, Zephyr hopped into the cockpit and guided him into the Arena proper. This was it. It was gonna be ugly.

(Yep, a lot of line breaks this time. I'm not sure why, really. Just a curiosity, did anyone actually think Fuzors was up to snuff? Cause I thought it kinda sucked to be honest.)

"Ladies and gentlemen!" the announcer was beside himself with glee, "We have a historic match this morning! In the blue corner, he's killed the bloodthirsty Yuri, ended the undefeated streak of Kimberly, and humbled a mighty Liger Zero! He's the one they're calling the Spirit Fox, ladies and gentlemen, Zephyr!"

The crowds cheers were deafening, but Zephyr and Geist ignored them, staring their opponent down. The Shadow Fox stood at ease, idly spinning his Vulcan to check for irregularities. Zephyr noted it was spinning just a tad too fast, quickly making the necessary adjustments.

"In the red corner," the announcer boomed, "He's been your champion for the past thirteen tournaments, he's killed twenty-seven challengers. Ladies and gentlemen, once again I give you, the Blade Master himself, Jack Gareer!"

If the cheers for Zephyr were deafening, they approached weaponized levels for Jack. His Slash Liger was not idle like Geist either, roaring and clawing at the ground, showing off for the crowd and making them cry louder. Zephyr snorted, he always was a show-off.

"Pilots ready!"

Geist hunched low, his opponent doing the same. The time for messing around was over.

"Set!"

Zephyr closed his eyes and breathed deep, centering himself.

"Fight!"

The Slash Liger shot forward like a bullet, blades deploying and glowing with deadly energies. Just before they could cut Geist in two, he leapt upward and over the charging Liger. Jack was taken completely by surprise, the Shadow Fox's enhanced drive system allowing it to move quicker and make more powerful leaps. Zephyr grinned wide as he threw Geist into an acrobatic twirl in the air, bringing the Zoid down on all fours facing the Liger's rear. The Vulcan spun up quickly, rounds quickly perforating the cat's rear armor. Jack juked back and forth, only to discover the additional fire control sensor was aiding the Fox's accuracy considerably.

"I knew you wouldn't disappoint, Zephyr," he cackled, "But now it's my turn."

The Slash Liger threw itself into a sudden about face. Zephyr snorted, sure it was going to over compensate, when a small thruster in the Zoids side pulsed once, slowing it's momentum to enable it to make the turn gracefully. Zephyr swore, throwing Geist to the side and just barely avoiding getting cut in half again, the tip of the blade cutting a shallow gash along the Fox's side. But he wasn't out of it yet, as Jack pulled the turn again and opened fire with his Impact Cannon. The heavy slugs tore into Geist, and the Fox yowled in pain as one tore through his front left knee armor. The joint was still intact thanks to the upgraded frame, but another hit would sever it easily. Zephy swore and fired the Electromagnetic Net Gun, entangling the Liger and buying him a second of uninterrupted fire. The Slash Liger was anything but fragile, and while the Vulcan chewed it's armor up, it was nothing like the armor shearing he had hoped for. The blades moved quickly in their mounts, slicing the net and freeing the Liger.

"Fucking...," Zephyr looked around the arena for anything that might help, "Alright Geist, let's see how good his nose is."

Geist knew precisely what his master had in mind, and quickly opened fire in a semi-circle just in front of himself, kicking up a cloud of dust. When the cloud had cleared, the Fox was nowhere to be seen. The Liger growled, sniffing the air for any trace of the Fox.

"Using the dust cloud to muck up my Zoids nose before using Optical Camo to disappear," Jack mumbled, "Clever."

Jack was driven from his admiration when a burst of fire narrowly missed the Liger's head, smashing into its neck instead. The cat yowled, jumping to the side to avoid another one. Jack opened fire, Impact Cannon shells slamming into the ground all over, kicking up tons of dust. He spotted a void in one such cloud and fired, grinning when the void leapt through another cloud to avoid the incoming fire. He quickly engaged the boosters, racing forward with blades extended. The Fox clearly thought itself still invisible, as it made no attempts to dodge, even as the Liger reached within meters of it.

"Shit!" Jack exclaimed, hauling the controls to the side.

But he had caught on too late, and the Liger's front left foot broke through the loose sand where the Warshark had surfaced before. The Slash Liger pitched forward, it's head slamming into the ground at high speed, rattling Jack in the cockpit. The left blade buried itself down to the mount, the powerful energies cutting through without resistance. Geist pounced, the Optical Camouflage powering down in favor of the Strike Laser Claws. Geist slammed a glowing paw down hard the Liger's back, crushing it's main booster.

"Nice one, Zephyr," Jack grit his teeth, "That's what I get for being overconfident."

The Liger hunched a shoulder and heaved, pulling it's paw free from the sand. The blade strained, the charge no help in freeing it on the flat of the blade. With one more tug, the Liger got its paw back on solid ground, and a harsh snap issued as the blade finally broke off, leaving a jagged stump on the mounting. The Liger lashed out at the Fox, catching it hard across the belly with razor sharp paws, cutting a deep gouge in the armor. Geist leapt back, opening fire with the Vulcan and raking the cat's front. Jack was being more cautious now, choosing to return fire with his Impact Cannon rather than chasing him down. The Fox howled again as the heavy slugs tore chunks of armor free, and Zephyr wasted no time in dancing his Zoid away.

"Alright Geist, let's see what other tricks we can pull," Zephyr grinned like a fox.

His Zoid grinned with him, toggling the Camo again along with the Smoke Dischargers. The Fox ran a ring around the Liger, encircling it in inky black smog. The Liger growled, distressed at this. The Fox would be harder to spot in the smoke than it would be in a dust cloud. Jack agreed with his Zoid, and urged it on forward, sprinting to get out of the cloud. As it ran, a paw from the invisible Fox lashed out, tripping the blind Liger. The cat struck at where it thought the Fox was, but it was already gone. The cat sprinted forward again, only for the Fox to attack from the opposite side, tripping it and firing a point blank burst into its side. The Liger swung a paw wildly, but hit nothing but smoke. It sprinted forward again, and slammed into the arena wall, cracking the cockpit window and knocking out a fang. The cat yowled in confusion, as Jack realized what had happened. The Fox had deployed more and more smoke as they ran forward, tricking him into thinking they hadn't reached the edge of the cloud. He couldn't help but laugh at the trick, Zephyr truly was earning his name as the Spirit Fox.

(I just want to say this, for the record. Fuck the Green Lantern. Everybody fucking asks me, "Are you gonna see the Green Lantern?" No I'm fucking not, I'm saving my money for Transformers.)

Audrey couldn't believe what she was seeing. She'd known that Zephyr had a lot of skill, but this was beyond anything he'd ever shown before. It was vaguely frightening to be truthful. To see him utterly dominate an opponent. True, the Liger's strong armor was limiting the actual damage done, but the fact that the cat was having trouble even fighting back at all was testament to just how skilled Zephyr really was. The smoke filling half the arena was making it impossible to see anything, and Zephyr had said something about using a new blend to make it last longer. All she could hope is that it would give him the edge he needed.

(Back to the motherfucking violence.)

"Alright Geist, that's it for the smoke," Zephyr scratched his head, thinking, "He's already got the measure of our Camo..."

"Hey Zephyr," Jack called over the radio.

"Hmm? A little odd of you to want to talk in the middle of a battle, Jack."

"Yeah well, you're doing way better than I thought you would."

"Gee, thanks," Zephyr deadpanned.

"I mean it," Jack sounded sincere, "I may not get to take that little bitch home after all."

Geist stiffened, not willing to move. It knew the Liger was moving slowly thought the smoke, his multisensor giving them a precise location even without a visual. But he could sense his master's growing rage.

"Yeah," Jack continued, seemingly oblivious, "I had plans for her too, big plans. All nighter plans. And with her sister's debt from losing this bet, I probably could have gotten her as we-"

"You son of a bitch!" Zephyr roared.

Geist knew the order before it was made, racing for the Liger with claws already glowing. He swung low and fast, catching the cat in the knee and sending it to the ground. With brutal efficiency, he twisted his paw and pushed, the wicked energies grinding through the armor and beginning to slag the joint. But Jack had planned it, knowing that Zephyr would make a mistake if he taunted him. He couldn't see him in this smoke, so he had to get Zephyr to attack him up close in order to be able to return the favor. The Slash Liger pivoted quickly, smashing the Fox across the face with a paw. The blow stunned Zephyr, and the Liger pounced, jaws closing on the Fox's shoulder and crushing through the armor. A paw lashed out again, opening the gouges in the Fox's stomach wider and exposing the outer casing of the Zoid's core. With amazing strength, it lifted Geist and tossed him to the side, the Fox landing with a thud. The remaining blade swiveled forward, pointing like a spear, and the Liger charged forward. The point leveled with core, and Jack grinned in triumph as he neared it.

"...heh," Zephyr chuckled.

At the push of a button, the extra panels on Geist's shoulders and hips hinged open, revealing the boosters hidden inside. Huge blasts of compressed air sent the Fox rocketing out of harms way, and the Liger overcompensated, the blade plunging into the dirt. Geist spun quickly, lashing out with a glowing paw and snapping the blade's mount right off the Zoid. A second swing crushed through the already weakened knee and sent it sprawling. Jack was rattled as the Slash Liger's head slammed into the ground, and he looked around frantically when he regained his bearings. The Fox had disappeared into the smoke.

"So, you like to threaten my friends," Zephyr's voice was colder than ice through the speakers, "You like to pick on the helpless. Let's see how you like being helpless."

Geist was on him in an instant, teeth slicing into another of the Liger's legs as the glowing claws crushed through the hip joint. It tugged hard, pulling the ravaged limb off, and disappeared back into the smog. The Liger howled in pain, struggling in vain to crawl out of the smoke. But the Fox was on it again, savagely attacking another of it's legs and leaving not but a jagged stump behind.

"Please Zephyr," Jack shook in absolute fear, "Have mercy."

Neither Geist nor his master had any mercy to give, and didn't bother responding. The Liger looked up, shaking in terror as the Fox materialized just in front of it. Geist raised a foot high, and brought it down with his full weight behind it. The Fox's paw slammed down on the Zoid's neck, severing it's spine. As the Zoid gave a final sigh, Zephyr tracked the Vulcan around to aim directly into the cracked cockpit. And fired.

(Last one, I promise. Well, for this chapter.)

The last burst of fire was all that was heard for minutes. As the smoke finally cleared after several long minutes of waiting, Audrey gasped at what she saw. The Slash Liger was in tatters, all but one leg either missing of too mangled to be any use. Both blades had been snapped off, and the Zoid's neck was crushed. The head was in pieces, bloody glass covering the area where Jack had been killed.

"No, not killed," Audrey whispered, "Executed."

Geist stood tall and proud next to the broken corpse. His armor was in tatters, and he was supporting himself heavily on his right side. She could see the pale glow of the outer core casing peeking from his stomach, and she was sure his left eye was dimmer than usual. But he stood proud none the less.

"Ladies and gentleman," the announcer was almost mute, so stunned as he was, "We have a new champion!"

The crowd hesitated briefly, as if they believed Jack would suddenly get up. Then they cheered. They cheered harder then Audrey thought possible. And she cheered along with them.

A/N: Fuck yeah, epic battle is completed! For those who don't know what the Slash Liger is, it's from the Zoids Webcomic. Sadly, the Webcomic doesn't exist anymore, but pictures of the Slash Liger are all over the place. Think of it as a super powered Blade Liger with, you'll never believe this, armored legs. I know, I didn't believe it without pictures either. I had plans for Jack past this chapter, but he was a douche and had to die. Oh well. Interesting tidbit, he was originally going to have a Shadow Fox of his own, but the more I thought about it, the more I wanted to showcase Zephyr's ability to use the Shadow Fox to the max. Against an opponent with a Multisensor of its own, it's kinda difficult to use tricks, so the showcasing would've fallen back into more mauling. Y'know, since I don't do enough of that already.

The upgrades were my way of giving Geist an excuse for keeping up with and fighting on equal footing with Zoids he shouldn't be able to. The boosters on Geist's shoulders and hips are kinda like the ones on the Liger Zero's Standard CAS armor, just smaller, and more deep set into the Zoid. And they fire compressed air instead of ions. I figured a stealth Zoid would require boosters that don't act like a big-ass flare gun, so one shot air boosters sounded cool. And the sensor is just a little box on the side of the turret with a red dot on the front. Other than those, the enhancements haven't changed the Zoid's appearance really.

On the Organoid issue, after thinking it over I have decided that Zephyr will not be getting one. Characters around him may get or already secretly have one, but my main character doesn't need a fucking Organoid to be awesome. I still love Organoids, and they will have an impact on the storyline, how I'm not quite sure, but I'm sure my crazed and fucked up mind will come up with something awesome.


	25. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Shadow: Let's see Brutal Tournament top THAT. I must make my dominance of the brutal Zoids clear.

Zephyr stood off to the side as Audrey gave her sister one last hug. The brutal killing of the reigning champion had earned Zephyr a lot of pull in the underground, and her debt was completely paid off. Not only was she free, but she would never be bothered by them again. He'd thought Audrey was gonna crush his spine when he told her, she'd hugged him so hard.

"Make sure you tell Mama I love her," Audrey badgered her sister, "And stay on the main roads, it's dangerous out here."

"I know, ya worry-wort," Karen groaned, smiling, "You be good, okay? Don't let Zephyr get you into trouble."

Zephyr shook his head, at this rate they'd never stop. He decided to leave them alone for now, opting to check in on his Zoids. He'd opted to stay in the hangar they given him rather than relocating to the champions hangar, on account of them not staying for the remaining matches. He could hear on now in the distance, the howls of a König Wolf mixed with the hissing of a Stealth Viper. Nacht looked up as he walked into the hangar, and he patted the Zoid's foot as he passed. They successfully rebuild his ankles, choosing to reinforce them while they were at it. Luft glanced up from his meal, some poor Molga that had been mauled in a battle, before going back to it. He was completely repaired as well, no reinforcements necessary.

It was Geist that Zephyr had come to see, however. The Shadow Fox was asleep on his trailer, paw twitching as it dreamed. He'd been repaired better than new, a fresh coat of paint and wax making him shine in the low light. Zephyr had taken a souvenir from the Slash Liger's corpse, and the repaired Impact Cannon sat on Geist's trailer next to him, just waiting for them to get to the right facilities were he could make the necessary adjustments to mount it on the Fox. The heavy close range gun would serve as a useful addition to the Shadow Fox's armaments.

"Good work, Geist," he patted the Zoid's side, "Take your rest, you earned it."

"Maestro," Zephyr turned around to see a technician standing behind him, "It's time for us to return to the Guild. Will you be returning with us?"

"'Fraid not," Zephyr clasped the tech's hand, "Me 'n Audrey will be heading out to find some work."

"Then we shall see you next time you return home."

"I'm sure we will. You guys be careful out there, and take it easy on the poor Gustavs, huh?"

The tech waved a farewell, and the Guild convoy started off back to the Guild. Zephyr watched them go, suddenly realizing he'd never gotten the chance to take a peak at the Crimson Horn's system. He shrugged, there'd be other chances. He wandered back towards Audrey and Karen, just in time to see Audrey hand her a heavy duffel. He chuckled at her gasp when she looked inside. Audrey had suggested giving her half of the money they had won in the tournament, and he had readily agreed. With the amount of cash in that duffel, they could buy new and better equipment for the farm, pay for some expert help, and make repairs with enough left over to buy a small mansion in the capital.

"I can't...," Karen argued.

"Yes you can," Audrey insisted, "Get Mum the help she needs on the farm, help the community, buy a damn pool, whatever you want."

"But, you worked so hard..."

"Take the damn money," Zephyr cut in, "I worked hard for it, and I'm telling you to take the damn money."

Karen smiled, "Thank you. Really, I don't know what would have happen-"

"Stop thinking about it," Zephyr ordered, bonking her on the head, "It didn't happen so it's irrelevant. Spend your time worrying about what's going to happen, not what could have happened."

Karen rubbed her head, he'd hit her harder than she expected. She smiled anyway, she was quickly gathering that this was how Zephyr showed he cared. She grinned evilly before stepping forward and planting a kiss on his cheek, laughing at how he turned beet red.

"Well, I'll be off now," she proclaimed cheerfully, "Bye now!"

Audrey gaped at her sister as she ran off to the transit Zoid. She was coping better than Zephyr at least, who was still as red as a tomato and struggling to regain the power of speech.

(Warning: The Author pulled this next section out of his ass. If ye doubt the courage of yer hearts, go no further. Death awaits you all, with big nasty pointy teeth.)

"So what now?" Zephyr asked.

It had been a week since they'd left the tourney, and work was slow. They only done one small job, which barely paid for food. In the meantime, the two had decided to crash at the Snake Pit and try to find work. Zephyr was lying across one of the benches while Audrey looked through mercenary ads.

"It's all wartime posts," she griped, "And mostly for the frontline, not even a scouting mission."

"What about Snake?"

"He's got nothing either, mostly stuff about Republican troop movements for the Empire."

"...dammit, I guess I'm calling Ellie, see if she's got some commando stuff."

"I guess-"

"Excuse me," a new voice cut in, "I'm looking for Zephyr?"

Zephyr sat up to see who it was. The guy was wearing a god-awful uniform and holding a clipboard. A delivery guy, obviously.

"That'd be me," he answered, getting up and walking over to him, "I didn't order anything though."

"It was sent by a third party, sir," the guy answered, handing him the clipboard, "Please sign, sir."

Zephyr signed quickly, handing it back to him. When no package was forthcoming, he raised a brow.

"Oh, I'm sorry," the guy said quickly, "It's right outside. It's pretty heavy too."

Zephyr followed him outside, and it was there just like he said. He waved as the delivery Gustav headed off, then regarded the package quizzically. It was a large, nondescript wooden crate. No markings of any kind, but an envelope taped to the top of it. He opened the envelope and read it aloud as Audrey walked up behind him.

"I have heard that you are in need of work," he began, "The contents of this crate need to be transported to the laboratory in Hensly as fast as you can. There will be a substantial reward for doing so, both monetary and otherwise. I feel that you are the only ones I can trust with this package. Oh, and feel free to open it, it'll be easier to transport outside the box, helpful even. Signed, Dr. F."

"Who's Dr. F?" Audrey asked, peeking at the box.

"Dunno," he shrugged, "Let's crack this sucker open, shall we."

Zephyr grabbed a crowbar and quickly pried open the box. Before they could remove the top, it flew off on it's own. Zephyr grabbed his knife, ready to fight back, when it stuck it's head out and looked at them. The small, black raptor regarded them both with glowing white eyes before yawning and laying back down. Zephyr inched forward, looking down into the box. The Organoid was solid black, and would be at least a foot taller than him when standing.

Zephyr looked at the letter again, wondering who this "Dr. F" was. He hadn't read the salutation, at least not aloud. There shouldn't be anyone who knew that name, not that would contact him anyway. He crumpled the letter, throwing it in the trash as he moved to help Audrey load the crate, along with the Organoid, onto a trailer. But the beginning of that letter still sifted through his mind.

"Dear Mr. Algiers."

A/N: Oh no, did I drop another hint about Zephyr? Yes I did. This is actually very similar to how I wanted Zephyr to get his Organoid if I gave him one. I thought it was devilishly clever, no epic quest ending with it as a reward or finding it in an ancient ruin. Just a dropped off package. So clever, in fact, that it evolved into it's own storyline with the decision not to give Zephyr an Organoid. And as much as I don't want to stick to tradition, every Zoid's story needs a Zoids professor. It's almost a requirement, really.


	26. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

randomcat: You better rec'nize the Fox.

Shadow: It was closer to a metric fucktonne

And a special thanks to Cryptoking2 for favoriting my story!

The Gustav trudged through the mountain pass, precariously close to the edge. The bottom of the ravine was far below, and the remains of Zoids that had fallen off could be seen every so often, the rest having already been eaten by wild Zoids. This wasn't what concerned Zephyr, though.

"Dammit, Audrey would you tell this thing to stop landing on Geist's head!" he bitched.

The Organoid had quickly decided that it didn't like Zephyr, and would only listen to Audrey. While this amused her to no end, it was quickly wearing on Zephyr's last nerve.

"Ah, he's only playing," the evil smirk on her face was at odds with her sweet tone.

"I'm gonna shoot it, I swear, get the fuck off!"

The raptor seemed to tire of messing with him, landing on the Gustav's shell and curling up to take a nap. Geist huffed, finally rid of the nuisance and trudged past the Gustav, the anchors in his feet allowing him to skirt the edge in confidence. This pass was unofficially owned by a local bandit outfit, and Zephyr had skipped paying them tribute for safe passage. The fact that they had an Organoid with them would only make them a sweeter target.

"Audrey, anything on the scopes?" he checked again.

"Nope, they may be raiding elsewhere," she double checked to make sure.

"Hmm..."

Nacht started sniffing the air suddenly, growling a warning. Geist caught it a second later, an analysis popping up on the console.

"Looks like a big group of wild Zoids ahead," Zephyr said, "That's probably what's keeping the hoodlums away."

"So what do you want to do?" she asked.

"Lemme go take a look, drop back on the speed a bit."

Geist sped forward, Optical Camouflage snapping on to provide a measure of stealth. As he neared the source, the Fox slowed, using the Silencers to mask his footsteps. The Fox peaked around a corner to find the source.

"...alright, what the fuck did I do in a past life," he sighed tiredly.

A pack of wild Command Wolves were tearing into a pair of fallen Lanstags. Zephyr didn't bother thinking of the natural symetry of the moment, instead he started planning. He counted at least five, which meant there were an additional two sentries somewhere.

"Audrey, stop moving," he spoke into the radio, "I got a pack of Command Wolves up here."

"Gotcha," she responded, "Take 'em out quick, we gotta get out of here."

Zephyr sighed. Ideally, he would find another route around them. But they couldn't afford to back track if they wanted to get out of the mountains quickly. And while he would like to take them with Luft, the bandits may see him if he took to the air.

"Alright. Geist, standby," he flicked a few switches quickly.

Geist stalked forward, quiet as a shadow. The Multisensor pinged, and Geist looked up. There on a ledge above was the first sentry. Another ping, the second sentry was on another ledge further down. The Vulcan spun up quickly, and G

eist went to work. Still cloaked in the Optical Camouflage, Geist fired off five quick bursts, cutting the lightly armored Wolves down. Without even looking, the Zephyr swiveled the Vulcan and fired another burst. The crash from behind told him the body had hit the ground even as he fired a final burst into the last Wolf.

"All clear, come on up," he said, bored.

"Roger."

A minute or so later, the Gustav came around the corner, and their slow trek through the mountain pass continued. The going was slow, and the action nonexistent. To say Zephyr was bored was an understatement.

"You're sure they didn't hear the shots?" Audrey badgered him for the seventh time in as many minutes.

"I could fire off a few more, if you're worried," Zephyr shot back.

The silence was a small comfort. To amuse himself, he had started playing a war game against Geist. The wily Fox had him backed into a corner, but Zephyr quickly sprang a trap on him and turned the tide. The Zoid huffed and shook his head, jostling the cockpit. Zephyr could help but laugh, he always hated it when he turned the tides on him.

"And that's why I make the plans, my friend," he teased.

The Fox ignored him, choosing to advance its units and shut him up by force. Zephyr smirked as the Fox's reinforcements were suddenly decimated by hidden artillery positions. He could feel the Zoid vibrating with annoyance. He leaned back and chuckled as his units descended on Geist's base, preparing to demolish it. And frowned as the computer announced his loss. The Fox sniggered as its master discovered that it had held a small group back, sending them in the to destroy to his base after he sent all his units out on a final push.

"You little bastard," he muttered.

"Geist beat you again?" Audrey chuckled through the radio.

"Shut up."

He chose to ignore the cackles coming through the short-wave, choosing to instead focus on the task at hand. Beating the damn Fox at its own game. He started another game, grumbling when it gave him a bad starting location.

"Zephyr?" Audrey cut in, "I'm picking up some chatter, you getting anything?"

Zephyr put the game on hold, dialing his radio frequency back. It was only snippets, but it was definitely picking something up. The signal was getting stronger as they moved through the pass.

"We... good catch...," clearly a man's voice, "...price for... girl..."

"I'll go check it out," Zephyr had heard enough, "Stay put, savvy?"

He didn't wait for a reply, pushing Geist into a full run, Optical Camouflage snapping on. At this speed the Silencers would be no good, but he wanted to get up there as soon as he could. The signal was much stronger now, no longer coming in snippets of conversation.

"Yeah, yeah," the same man as before was saying, "We'll get her there, you just make sure you have the cash."

Zephyr pushed Geist faster, the buy was going down now. The Fox threw itself around a corner, skidding to a halt. A group of bandits had a Raynos strapped down on a trailer. The group hadn't noticed him, so focused on the Raynos and what Zephyr presumed was its pilot. The girl had the most unusual hair, bright freakin' blue, and looked to be maybe thirteen. Zephyr may have been a mercenary, but there was no way in hell he was letting them sell a girl that young.

"Geist, tear 'em apart," he ordered.

The group had an intimidating array of Zoids, an Elephander among them. Unfortunately, non of them were in said Zoids, so caught up in their catch. Geist opened fire, a quick burst of fire from a weapon meant to shear armor off of Zoids. There wasn't much left, and the sudden demise of their pilots scared the Zoids off, the poor Elephander making a wrong step and tumbling off the side. The girl was freaking out, struggling and gnawing at her restraints. Zephyr hopped out of the Shadow Fox, walking over to her quickly.

"S'alright, I gotcha," he tried to be soothing.

"Let me outta here you bastard!" it didn't work.

"Fine, fine, hold still ya brat."

The second he cut her loose, she smacked him clear across the face. After a second or two to process what had just happened, he was in her face.

"'The fuck was that for!" he shouted in her face.

"For calling me a brat, you asshole!" she shouted right back.

"Well what the fuck should I call you, shorty!"

"Shorty! I'm nineteen years old, you fucker!"

He couldn't take it. He started laughing uncontrollably. The girl was developing a rather nasty tick as he rolled around laughing.

"Y-you're nineteen," he gasped between bouts, "You can't be more than, what, four feet tall?"

"I'm four foot five you jackass!" he shouted indignantly, "What kinda rescuer are you, mocking people after you save them."

"Right, right, sorry," he chuckled a bit, finally calming down, "Anyway, let's get your Raynos free, shall we?"

It took a bit of struggle on their part, the bandits hadn't been very careful in their haste, but they finally got it free. The girl teared up a bit, hugging the Zoid like it was family. It screeched in happiness, folding its wings around her in turn. Zephyr smiled, looking behind to see the Gustav pulling up behind them. Audrey hopped out and walked over.

"Ah, ya big hero," she teased, "Always gotta help a damsel in distress, hmm?"

"Well, you know," he shrugged, "Somebody's gotta do it."

"Audrey!"

The girl tackled Audrey to the ground, hugging her tightly. Audrey had a look of utter shock before it was replaced by barely contained annoyance.

"Tear, get the hell off me," she muttered, "And stop grabbing my ass."

To say Zephyr was shocked would have been the understatement of the century.

A/N: New character you say? I say yay! And I bet none of you were expecting that ending. I pride myself in making y'all wonder where the fuck I'm going with all this.


	27. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Shadow: Cheater.

Cryptoking2: I always try to take the time to acknowledge the fans, I'm glad you're enjoying it. I'm hoping to have some moneyz soon to actually commission an artist to draw the Spectre, I've got one that does excellent Zoids. As to the Hammerhead, it'll probably appear, only to be torn apart mercilessly and brutally. The whole "shark with no teeth" thing offends me, to be honest.

(I'm tired of these motherfucking Zoids on this motherfucking planet!)

"Dammit, get off me!" Audrey shouted.

Tear refused to let go, latching tightly around Audrey's waist. As Zephyr had found out, she was deceptively strong for someone her size. This did not deter Audrey from trying to pry the denim-clad midget off her.

"So...," Zephyr began lamely, "You two know each other?"

"Yep," Tear chirped, "Audrey's my swee-"

"No I'm not!" Audrey interjected, "She's a crazy chick I met on the road, and now she does this every time I see her!"

"I see...," Zephyr filed this moment away for blackmail material.

"Audrey's so mean...," Tear whined, burying her face in Audrey's chest, "I just wanted to see her..."

"Oi, get out of there. You've seen me, so let go of me so we can get out of here."

Audrey continued to try to pry her off while Zephyr went to inspect her Raynos. It was an older model, he was shocked to discover, lacking the simplified control system the newer ones had. It would be more difficult to fly, but it could make complex maneuvers the simplified ones couldn't. It hissed in greeting, bending down to nudge him with its nose. He chuckled, apparently it was just as affectionate as its master. He patted it on the snout, feeling the grooves cut into it by several close shaves with incoming fire.

"You've been around the block, haven't you," he murmured.

"Hey! No touching!" Tear shouted.

Zephyr neatly sidestepped her inevitable charge, causing her to face plant into the Zoid's nose. She checked her nose, hissing in pain. Seeing that it wasn't broken she spun around to glare at Zephyr, who was standing there looking innocent. Well, as innocent as you could look with a big smirk on your face.

"You did that on purpose," she accused.

"Hey, I'm not the one that charge without checking the surroundings," he objected, "Besides, he started it."

The Raynos hissed in a small pattern, which Zephyr took to mean he was laughing. This seemed to irk Tear, as she shot the Raynos a withering glare. It didn't distract her for long, and she quickly rounded on Zephyr again.

"I don't care who started it, hands off Icarus," she ordered.

Zephyr decided it best not to mention the origin of that name, simply acquiescing and moving back to Audrey. The Organoid was awake, and Audrey had decided to feed it the metal clips from the tie downs they'd taken off the Raynos. The raptor was quickly mowing through the pile of them, Audrey looking on with a smile.

"No, you can't keep it," Zephyr said dryly as he sat down next to her.

"You're hilarious," she shot back, "Still, he's kinda cute."

"Right, and Nacht's as cuddly as they come."

"Har har, seriously though. Who the hell trusts mercenaries with an Organoid?"

"Dunno, whoever it is must believe we won't steal it."

"Uh huh," she wasn't buying it.

"Or they have the power to make our vastly shortened lives a living hell if we do," he conceded.

Audrey sighed, dropping her face into her hands.

"It's always option two, isn't it?" she mumbled.

"Seems like it," he answered wearily.

(Raise your hand if you can't fucking wait for The Dark Knight Rises. Motherfucking Bane for the motherfucking win dammit.)

They made it out of the mountains with only one more small skirmish. Tear refused to leave, so she tagged along above them, throwing her Raynos around in an awesome aerial display. Audrey had taken to mumbling irritably about the diminutive lesbian, a fact that Zephyr wasn't sure she realized. As soon as they had cleared the mountains, Zephyr got Geist up on his trailer, choosing to let him rest while he sat up in the Gustav with Audrey. He splint his time between listening to Audrey's rambling and watching the scenery go by. They were back in the wasteland just outside Hensly, though the ground was more akin to sand than burnt out dirt.

"I wonder why this guy put a lab way out here," he pondered.

"Is that it?" Audrey pointed.

It was an ugly building, a drab, squat one story thing. The gray walls looked like they hadn't been taken care of in a while. But the address checked out, so Zephyr hopped out and pounded on the door, keeping a hand on his knife. When the door opened, Zephyr almost drew it.

"It's been a long time, Zephyr," the man greeted genially.

"No fuckin' way," Zephyr muttered, "Klaus?"

The man laughed, pulling Zephyr into a one armed bear hug, his other keeping a tight grip on his cane. Audrey climbed out of the Gustav once she decided that he wasn't trying to smother Zephyr, walking over with the Organoid in tow. The man noticed them and released Zephyr, who promptly dropped to his knees and sucked in air. The Organoid ran over to it's owner immediately, nuzzling his chest affectionately.

"Oh, so you did bring Minus with you," Klaus chuckled, "I almost believed you'd run off with him."

"Why the hell would we want that pain in the ass," Zephyr grumbled, standing, "And not that it's not nice to see you n' all, but where's our reward?"

"Ah, of course," Klaus smacked his head, "Right this way."

He led them into the house which was completely... empty. Just as Zephyr was about to ask what he was trying to pull, the floor rumbled and started to sink. A vast lab space opened up before them, Zoids research all over the place.

"Dr. F, huh?" Zephyr remarked dryly, "Never would've pegged you for a researcher, Klaus."

"Well, after my injury I couldn't fight anymore," he smacked his leg for emphasis, "But I still wanted to be around Zoids. So, I went back to school, and here I am."

"Alright, I'm sick of being in the dark here," Audrey grumbled irritably.

"Ah, I'm sorry," Klaus apologized sincerely, "I haven't seen my friend in quite some time, I forgot my manners entirely. My name is Klaus Fontrer."

"He was the captain for that team me n' Jack were on," Zephyr supplied helpfully.

"Whatever happened to Jack?" Klaus asked.

Zephyr never even flinched, "We'll talk about him later, where's my reward."

"Right over here."

Klaus led them over to a large container. A push of a button later, it opened to reveal a small Zoid. Audrey looked vaguely impressed, while Zephyr was downright giddy with excitement. Klaus smiled knowingly.

"This is your reward," he proclaimed with a small flourish, "The Leoblaze."

"You got me a fucking BLOX...," Zephyr's voice was almost a whisper, "You rock so fucking hard right now..."

"What's a BLOX?" Audrey asked.

"A BLOX," Klaus started since Zephyr was still drooling, "Is a Zoid that needs no pilot to operate at peak efficiency. Any Zoid can move and fight on their own, but most need a pilot to fight at full strength."

"But a BLOX is different," Zephyr cut in, "They, for whatever reason, can fight just as well without a pilot as with them. However, in order for a BLOX to fight, it must form a link with another Zoid in the form of an installed BLOX Control Unit, BCU. The BCU allows the owner of the Zoid to give orders to the BLOX. Even better, a BLOX under BCU control is deemed equipment, so both Zoids can be entered in most tournaments."

Audrey was in shock. This wasn't like getting a bonus, this was like getting paid twice.

"BLOX are very strange Zoids," Klaus continued, "They are extremely loyal to the Zoid they are bonded to. It isn't uncommon to see one jump in the way of a lethal blow."

"But doesn't that mean they can be a hindrance," Audrey asked, "I mean, if you have to fix them up when they do that, or even replace them."

"That's the best part," Zephyr's giddiness was back, "BLOX self repair over time, including their cores. It is nearly impossible to keep a BLOX Zoid out of the fight for more than a week, you'd need to completely destroy the core."

Klaus was about to continue when the whole building shook, and the sounds of gunfire could be heard above. Zephyr was immediately back on the elevator, ascending to see what was happening. The sight that greeted him was not pretty.

"Oh shit..."

A/N: Who thought I'd forgotten BLOX? I'm gonna say this shit right the hell now: No. Fucking. Fuzors. I hated the goddamn concept from the beginning, and very few of them actually look good. The ones that do may appear as one Zoid, but there will be no damn Fuzors in this story. As to the BLOX idea, I looked at the Leoblaze and, while cool, figured it was too small to be a real kombatant on my planet. Then the idea of having it as a sort of drone popped into my head, and so the idea of BLOX on Ire was born. Note that they mentioned that they are as good with OR without a pilot, meaning they can still be piloted. They just aren't most of the time. Others will appear, but I like the Leoblaze so that's the one that Zephyr got. Better than an Organoid, ain't it?


	28. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

A/N: No shout outs this time, cause I posted this too fast for y'all to review the last one.

Zephyr sprinted to Geist, hoping to hell that they didn't shoot in his direction. Geist didn't waste time, opening the cockpit and scooping his up off the ground. He started running even before Zephyr was situated in the cockpit, avoiding the incoming fire as best he could.

"Fucking Genosaurers!" Zephyr growled, "Why is it always fucking Genosaurers!"

Geist growled in agreement, the Optical Camouflage kicking on. The trio of Genosaurers were on alert immediately, two of them choosing to fill the air with as much gunfire as possible, with the last one trading shots with Nacht. Nacht was trying desperately to get off his trailer, but the restraints were too strong. That wasn't stopping him from firing all guns in a stunning display of firepower. The Genosaurer's guns were tearing his light armor apart, but the sheer amount of fire it was taking in turn couldn't be ignored by anything short of a Death Stinger.

Geist danced through the fire unseen, choosing his moment. One of the Genosaurers seemed to sense him, as it swept an arm as he passed, scoring a trio of deep gashes in Geist's side. Geist growled, firing the Net Gun to entangle the Genosaurer before turning around and charging, claws glowing. Geist wasted no time playing, choosing to slam a paw hard into the target's chest, running at full speed. His paw burst through the Genosaurer's back, tearing the guns off in an explosion of sparks. Geist tugged hard, but his paw snagged inside the Genosaurer's body. The other one was quick to capitalize on this, firing all guns into the Fox's side. Geist howled in pain, triggering the smoke dischargers and dragging the Genosaurer's corpse out of the line of fire. With an annoyed growl, it tore into the corpse, enlarging the hole and making it easier to tear his paw free. The instant it was free, Geist leapt out into the fray.

The Fox leapt out of the smoke to see the remaining Genosaurer hunched down, already in the process of charging its main gun. Zephyr threw Geist to the side, just as it fired. The stream of lethal energy scythed through the air towards the jumping Fox. Geist avoided a lethal blow, but he just wasn't fast enough to avoid it entirely. The charged particles tore through his rear legs, cutting them both off and leaving the Fox helpless. Geist slammed to the ground, howling in pain. It struggled to crawl, Zephyr begging Geist to move, as the Genosaurer loomed above. It slammed its footlocks down, beginning to charge its coup de grace. Light filled Zephyr's eyes as the Genosaurer fired.

(Oh shit, it's time for my first motherfucking flashback!)

-Some years earlier-

"So, what do ya think?" Klaus asked.

Zephyr looked up at his new Zoid. The Shadow Fox's new paint job shined in the morning light, its unusual blue eyes bright as it regarded Zephyr. His Command Wolf had been totaled, a complete loss, but this was completely unprecedented. A Shadow Fox was a high-performance Zoid, not cheap by any standards.

"I love it," he smiled brightly, "Thanks Klaus."

Zephyr walked up to the Zoid calmly, reaching out a hand and waiting. The Fox looked at the hand a moment, then slowly closed the distance, putting warm flesh to cold metal. It growled pleasantly as Zephyr rubbed its snout, enjoying the contact.

"I'll call you," Zephy decided, "Geisterjäger"

(End of the motherfucking flashback.)

The light that filled Zephyr's eyes disappeared as soon as it appeared, and Geist was slammed by an enormous impact. Zephyr cried out in shock, as the Fox was thrown to the side. Nacht howled in pain as the massive blast of energy tore through his chest, even as he unloaded every shell he had. The Genosaurer couldn't take that much firepower at such close range, and the reinforced armor of its cockpit was quickly torn apart. But the damage was done. Nacht hissed pitifully as he collapsed, the huge, smoking hole in his torso plain to see. Zephyr leapt out of Geist's cockpit, sprinting to the Zoid's side.

"Nacht!" he screamed, "It's gonna be okay, bud. I'll fix you up, don't worry."

But even as he said the words, he knew it wasn't going to be okay. The Zoid's core was plain to see with all the damage, as were the spiderweb of cracks covering it. Repairing a Zoid's core was nearly impossible, and definitely impossible without the right equipment. Even as he tried to comfort his Zoid, Zephyr knew the terrible truth. Nachtjäger was going to die.

(No rant this time, is a sad moment.)

Audrey tried her best, she really did. When she came out of the house to see Geist without his legs and Zephyr crying next to Nacht, she hadn't hesitated. She ran up to him, hugging him as hard as she could, telling him it would be alright. When he choked out that he couldn't fix him, she'd nearly broken down herself. The Gun Sniper had always been a part of their little family, it had been the reason they'd met. To have to watch him die...

But she knew she couldn't break down, not with Zephyr. But she also knew there was no comforting him, and instead chose to try to help Geist as best she could. The Fox knew its friend was dying, and its howls of pain were haunting. Audrey sat by the stricken Zoid, silently rubbing its head and sharing in its sorrow. Even Luftjäger was subdued, knowing that they all shared a deep bond.

"Hey Nacht, don't you worry," Zephyr managed to choke out, "I'm not going anywhere."

The raptor hissed weakly, and Zephyr continued to rub its head. He couldn't help his Zoid, his friend. But he wouldn't let him die alone. Long after Audrey had dragged Geist into a hatch that led to Klaus's lab below the ground, long after the sun had gone down, Zephyr stayed with his Zoid. The Gun Sniper was getting weaker and weaker, its hisses and growls barely audible. Zephyr let his mind wander back as he comforted his friend.

(Another flashback)

-Some years earlier-

"Well, look what I found, Geist," Zephyr chirped.

Out in the middle of nowhere was the last place you'd expect to find a Zoid, but here he'd found it. The Gun Sniper was in desperate need of repair, but looked salvageable. It had been left there for an untold amount of time, and the scouring winds had torn the paint from its frame and somehow bleached it. It looked like a huge skeletal raptor, just lying in the dunes. But as much as he wanted it, he couldn't get it without a transport.

"Hmm, maybe we can buy a Gustav in the next town, huh Geist?" he pondered.

The Shadow Fox agreed, and they set out for town. But halfway there, they were surprised to encounter a lone Gustav hauling a pair of empty trailers. It looked like it had broken down, the pilot just sitting in the cockpit waiting for someone to come along. Zephyr pulled Geist up alongside it, hopping out to see what he could do.

"I really appreciate this," the pilot told him.

Zephyr smiled at her. She was actually kinda pretty, the long red hair and maroon eyes giving her an enticing look. He wiped the grease off his hands, it had been an easy repair.

"Not a problem, miss," he chuckled, "Though I was wondering if you wouldn't mind doing me a favor?"

"Not at all," she was quick to reply.

"Well, see, there's a Gun Sniper out about fifty miles west of here, I was wondering if you wouldn't mind hauling it into town so I can see about fixing it."

"Sure thing, why don't you hook your Shadow Fox onto a trailer and we'll go nab it."

Zephyr did just that, hopping into the Gustav beside her.

"I'm Audrey Glave," he stuck out a hand, "What do I call you, Mr. Pilot?"

Zephy thought for a second, then shook her hand, "Call me Zephyr."

(End of flashback, back to the sad stuff.)

"And she never did leave," Zephyr chuckled despite himself, "And all because of you. If it weren't for you, I would've never met the sister I always wanted. Without you, I would have died countless times. Hell, without you I might've died of boredom."

The Gun Sniper chuckled weakly with him, and it only brought fresh tears to his eyes. He hugged the Zoid's head as tightly as he could, letting the tears run their course.

"Without you, our family won't be the same," he choked out, "I'll miss you. Now, and for the rest of my life, my friend."

Just as the sun kissed the barren field were he lay, Nachtjäger died.

A/N: That was hard. Like, honestly difficult to write. Not just because I liked that character, but because I wanted to get the scene down perfect. Honestly, I'm still not happy with it. I will probably rewrite it. But I think there's something to be said for the imperfection of it. It also gave me the opportunity to share some backstory, so there's something. Rest assured, Nachtjäger did not die in vain, and Zephyr is going to be right PISSED. Look forward to it.


	29. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

A/N: Super short chapter this time, sorry bout that. And yes, Nacht will be avenged. You may recall there were three Genosaurers at that party...

Zephyr panted hard, leaning on the dead hulk's shoulder. Nacht was gone, and this wasn't the time to mourn, he knew that. They had managed to haul Nacht's body off into the wasteland, where Zephyr went through the morbid task of stripping him for useful or valuable parts. The mercenary life was too difficult to be stopped by such things as sentimentality or taboo. The final part was the core, a task that Zephyr had to cut himself off from reality to do. The thought of holding his friend's heart and mind in his hands was just a bit much, even knowing it was a blank slate. With it dead, fixing the cracks would be much easier, making it a valuable part and well worth the trouble. Once all that was finished, Zephy rigged the body with thermite charges, as close to a funeral pyre as Nacht could get.

"You sure you don't want to bring him with us?" Audrey asked again.

"Yeah," Zephyr said with finality, "There's no point in bringing an empty husk back."

"But-"

"Let him have some dignity, Audrey. Let me give him a proper send off."

Audrey said nothing, and Zephyr pushed the detonator. The thermite charges flared to life, melting through Nacht's armor as easily as if it were butter. In no time at all, the vast majority of his body was reduced to molten metal, totally unusable for any scavengers. Zephyr looked on, face impassive. He stood there a few minutes, watching the steaming pool of liquid metal, before turning back to the Gustav.

"C'mon, let's go," he sighed, "We're done here."

(Fun fact: Jaws was the first film in history to make more than one hundred million dollars in the US, and at $470 million grossed worldwide is the 94th highest grossing film ever. And it's still fucking awesome.)

The drive back to the Machine Guild base was somber at best, downright depressing at worst. Geist whined pitifully from his trailer, his legs disassembled but not yet repaired. Luft was agitated, ready to fight at any moment as the only real combat ready Zoid they had. And the Leoblaze just lay on its trailer, content to rest until they had fitted one of the Zoids with a BCU.

"Y'know, we could've at least fit Geist with the BCU at Klaus's lab," Audrey started, trying to fill the silence.

"Yeah, but he doesn't have the right tuning equipment," Kira pointed out, "We would've equipped it, but it still would've been worthless."

"Ah. And here we are."

The mesa loomed before them, and Zephyr intoned the password for entry. Audrey still felt a small trill of fear at the multitude of guns pointed in there direction, even knowing they would never be fired at her. The moment they entered the base, they were surrounded by technicians and their equipment. Zephyr was set upon by his senior staff, asking countless questions about what had transpired. He answered them all flatly, without emotion, until one tech cut in with another question.

"Where's Nachtjäger?" he asked.

Zephyr's mask fell, the pained expression on his face clear for all to see. Several people gasped, the closest to him putting a hand on his shoulder for support. Audrey saw the girls from before on the edge, their eyes wide in shock. She saw Zephyr starting to tear up, and moved to his side immediately, guiding him out of the crowd and into a secluded corner.

"Thanks Sparks," he whispered.

"You stay here and calm down a bit," she smiled softly, "I'll make sure Geist gets taken care of, don't worry."

"Make sure they use the gamma subroutine thirty-six eight one zero for the BCU, otherwise there'll be a lag time of point three six milliseconds..."

"I'll tell them."

She walked back over to the group, relaying his orders to them, with the addition that no one was to bother him until they had her say so. This was universally understood, and they immediately got to work. Geist was lifted gently onto another trailer, sent off to Zephyr's personal workshop for his team to repair, as were the other Zoids. Audrey felt a small pang of sadness when they lifted Nacht's parts off his trailer, though she smiled at the care they were giving them. It was clear that they all understood just how much Nacht had meant to them all, and were paying every respect to his remains.

"Miss Glave," a familiar voice cut in.

Audrey turned to see the Grand Maestro standing behind her, his own pained expression obvious. She knew just how much he loved his members, and it obviously pained him to see one of them in so much pain themselves.

"How is he," he asked, his voice barely a whisper.

"He's...," she hesitated, "He's not good. It hit him hard, but I know Zephyr."

"Do you now?" he remarked wryly, remembering their last conversation.

"Yes I do," she said with conviction, "He'll come back from this, pissed off and ready to tear the ones that did this limb from limb. And I'll be right there when it happens."

He couldn't help but chuckle at that, he believed every word. He looked into the corner to see Zephyr already stirring, standing up and taking a deep breath. He trudged out into the action, helping out where he could and barking orders where he saw fit. In short order, they had Geist's legs disassembled down to their component parts, picking through them to see which one's could be salvaged. The Leoblaze was stripped of its armor, minute adjustments being made throughout the Zoid. Luftjäger napped in a corner, his adjustments already complete.

"Maestro Zephyr, we've finished with the modifications to the Impact Cannon's mounting systems, as well as the stealth modifications," one tech notified him.

"Good, get that mounted as soon as you can," he ordered, turning to another technician, "How's the BCU coming?"

"We're delving into the inner programs now," he responded, "We should have it finished by the end of the day."

"Perfect, keep at it. Where's my fucking stencils!"

"Over here sir!"

Zephyr marched over to the drafting table they'd set up for him. He attacked it with a ferocity and determination not seen since the start of the project that would become the Spectre Dragon. The surrounding techs watched in awe as he drew up detailed schematics of parts, modifications, and weapons that any pilot would kill to have, only to toss them aside as "failures." He didn't need improvement, he needed revolution. And as he started on yet another schematic, he decided on just where to start.

(I fucking want a new Zoids game, dammit. Aside from Legacy, Battle Legends, and the atrocity that was Assault, America gets fuck all for Zoids games. C'mon Bandai, show us some love!)

Audrey found him in the hangar long after lights out. The ground around him was littered with crumpled up blueprints, and she didn't doubt for a second the wealth any one of them could bring. He was fast asleep in his chair, his head lying on a forearm as he slumped over onto the table. She smiled softly, draping a blanket over him so he didn't catch a cold. Curiosity hit her, and she couldn't help but sneak a peak at the schematics on the table. She couldn't read Zephyr's complex code, but the name at the top of the page was clear as day.

"Banshee Hunter," she whispered.

A/N: As I continue my trek to be an archbastard among archbastards, I have unveiled the name of what I believe to be the single most evil motherfucking Zoid ever conceived, and I made a Zoid based on Karanak, the Flesh Hound that sits at the foot of the Blood God Khorne's throne.

Geist continues to be modified, with a triple barreled Impact Cannon mounted on his chest and the BCU mounted internally. Zoids have always trumpeted their customizability, and I like to mess around with that in here, so expect some crazy shit from me. Like, Molgas with Republican Supercannons crazy. Mmmm... super powered Molgas...


	30. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

A/N: Before we get started, small thanks to Shadow. In his review, he called the Banshee Gunner the Banshee Hunter. After some thought, I actually decided I liked 'hunter' better than 'gunner,' so it had been changed. Small, but it fits better with the Zoid. So thanks for the typo! Special treat at the end cause I'm in a good mood.

Shadow: I thought about blowing it up with a lot of boomies, but that would be messy.

Crypto: Hmm, Necron Zoid... No comment.

Audrey didn't see Zephyr for three whole days. He'd locked himself in his private hangar, working on something that no one else knew about. In that time, Geist's adjustments and modifications were finished, and he stood proudly with his newly built legs, the Impact Cannon gleaming on his chest. The Leoblaze stood beside him, fully synchronized and ready to fight alongside him. Luftjäger had been modified slightly as well, and Audrey shuddered slightly as the techs tested his new weapon. The Dragon crunched down on the thick plating before him, his fangs glowing with new power. Between his new Strike Laser Fang system and his Plasma Thrower, getting close would be incredibly dangerous for anyone.

"Miss Glave, have you heard anything from Maestro Zephyr?" one technician asked.

"No, nothing," she sighed.

That was the truth, no one had heard anything since he'd locked himself in there. His meals were being delivered to him, and the trash was going out so they knew he was alive. But what he was doing, how long it would take, they had no idea.

"Miss Glave," another tech ran up to her, "We have finished the repairs to the core."

That was all the prompting Audrey needed, and she sprinted to the private hangar door. She pounded on it, determined to get some kind of reaction from him. So imagine her surprise when he opened it after only a few seconds, looking like he hadn't slept in... well, three days. All her irritation died, to be replaced by new irritation for his neglecting sleep. She pointed in the direction of his bed chamber wordlessly, and he trudged off with a huge yawn. Audrey sighed, she'd tell him in the morning.

(I never understood the lure of the Light Side of the Force. I mean, what the hell do they have that the Dark Side can't beat? Jedi Mind Trick? The Dark Side has fucking Lightning and Choking. And cookies, don't forget the cookies.)

Zephyr and Audrey watched as they pulled the core out of the tank. A Zoid's core wasn't completely artificial, but a seemingly impossible blend of machine and organism, a techno-organic mechanism. Repairing it wasn't as simple as slapping a patch over it or welding a few seams, they had to be literally regrown. The strain of rapid regrowth was hard on an active, energized core, which is what made it so difficult to repair them. But once the core was de-energized, once it had died, it was relatively simple to force regrowth, barring any glaring defects or imperfections.

The core was lifted slowly, still dripping with the tank's regrowth stimulant fluids. The mechanical arm set it gently on a conveyor, which took it to the core storage area. Each core was recorded with its own identification number and slot in the storage areas, and this one was marked as exclusive to Zephyr to prevent anyone else from using it. Even though Zephyr knew Nacht's personality wouldn't have survived, using the core would at least allow him to keep a part of him close.

"So...," Audrey had to ask, "What's with the Banshee Hunter?"

She swore she saw Zephyr's head swell, "It's probably the most radical change in Zoid manufacturing I've ever undertaken. It'll take weeks for my guys to even understand just how this stuff works, though they don't need to understand it to build it."

"Wow... Some faith in your people who have there..."

"Hey, I barely understood this crap myself, and I'm the damn Maestro here."

Audrey chuckled at that, thankful he was back to his old self.

"Besides, there's one more fucking Genosaurer to hunt down," he said absently.

She sighed again. Vengeful was better than grief stricken at least.

"So how long do you figure it'll take them to build this thing?" she asked.

"A week at the least, though we'll have to come back," he answered plainly.

"Huh?"

He turned to her with a savage grin, "Well, that pilot didn't finish the job, did he?"

(I'm kinda pissed off at music games. I really want to play Rocksmith, but you have to buy a real guitar to play it, and those are fuckin' expensive. Stupid fucking brokeness...)

The pilot of the lone Genosaurer was having a bad month. Not only had he been taken off his cushy job as border security for active duty, they'd put him into a special operations squad to sow discord behind enemy lines. No support from their own forces, with the constant risk of discovery and annihilation by Imperial forces looming over his head.

"At least I got this Genosaurer out of it," he grumbled.

The Genosaurer was the pride of elite Zoid pilots everywhere. Sure, the Imperial forces used them as well, but no where near as much as the Republican commandos. The fear the Genosaurer inspired was the perfect weapon for use in insurgent operations deep behind enemy lines. It made sense to deploy them to attack key strategic areas and stop the movement of goods,

But nothing about his mission made sense. They had received an urgent mission change order telling them to make all speed to this low level researcher's lab and level it at any cost. What strategic value could it possibly have? Though he questioned it, that didn't stop him from doing his duty. But in the process of their first attempt, he'd lost his two squad members and received heavy damage to his Genosaurer. It had taken him a week to make the repairs, and even then the left arm was a total loss, as was the head mounted gun. It was embarrassing to say the least that three commandos would be routed by a merc and his two Zoids. He vowed he would finish this mission, then head back for Republican land and hand in his resignation.

But as he came into view of the house, something felt off. His Genosaurer was on edge, and reluctant to move forward. He cursed, seeing the problem. The remains of its fellows were still where they'd fallen, and the Genosaurer was remembering its own injuries. The damn Zoid still thought the enemy was nearby.

"Move, dammit," he swore, "He's gone, you idiot!"

But the damn thing still refused to move. He swore again, finally just decided to slag it from here. The footlocks slammed down in the sand, the charging process already starting. So focused on the house as he was, he never even saw it coming.

The Leoblaze roared as it burst from the thin covering of sand it had been hiding under. The tail mounted blade glowed with deadly energies as it sliced clean through the Genosaurer's left leg. The dinosaur roared in pain, canceling the charge as it slammed to the ground. The back mounted gun swiveled uselessly, looking for a target that was already long gone. The Genosaurer stilled suddenly, rooted in fear as the Shadow Fox materialized just in front of it. It growled menacingly, Vulcan swiveling to point straight at the cockpit.

"Oi, oi," the pilot shook in fear, "I surrender, you have to take me in as a prisoner of war..."

"No, no I don't," Zephyr's voice could have frozen the very air.

Geist didn't even bother waiting for the order, knowing it was coming. He fired. The Vulcan chewed the Genosaurer's armor apart, but the reinforced plate was holding fast. Then the Impact Cannon fired, and a gruesome hole bloomed in the Zoid's chest. It screamed in pain, but Geist chest kept firing until it stopped squirming. The massive hole through its body smoldered lightly as Geist turned away, joined by the Leoblaze a moment later.

"Mission accomplished," Zephyr sighed.

(Another fun fact: Aliens is the greatest movie of all time. I know many of you will disagree, but I have it on great authority that you are all wrong.)

"Well, that's another threat taken care of," Zephyr sighed.

"Well, I can honestly say I appreciate the visit," Klaus chuckled.

The two of them sat in the kitchen of Klaus's lab, discussing what had happened in their lives since they'd gone their separate ways. Geist looked over from where he was resting, huffing at his master's insistence on telling a particularly embarrassing story for the Zoid.

"You're joking!" Klaus laughed.

"Nope, honest as I'll ever be, you had to have been there!" Zephyr laughed along with him.

The two laughed for a while before the conversation took a more somber route.

"Still, I can't believe it's been that long..." Klaus reminisced.

"Yeah, seems like a dream, don't it?" Zephyr said sarcastically.

"I still remember Clarice, proper lass as she was, going around calling you 'Young Master Algiers.'"

"Oi, I've put that name behind me," Zephyr said irritably.

"But M-"

"No buts," he said with finality, "It's Zephyr now. You gave me the damn name, use it."

Klaus sighed, "You always were a pain in the ass, Zephyr."

"Whatever happened to Clarice anyway?"

"Ah, she's married now."

"Seriously!" Zephyr couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"Yeah, they live up in Yerse," Klaus said casually, "She was really upset that you weren't there."

"Damn, if I'd known I would've come," Zephyr looked down sadly.

"Ah, but you were doing you're whole, 'separate from all you fuckers' thing," Klaus pointed out.

"Heh."

The two of them sat in silence for a time, before Zephyr stood and grabbed his jacket, leaving without a word. For the two of them, no words were necessary.

A/N: Ah, the dropping of tiny tidbits of backstory... it makes me giggle. Manly giggles of manliness, of course. The Geno pilot's death was originally gonna be an up close and personal afair involving Zephyr, a rock, lots of pointy objects, and barbed wire, but I decided I should bring Geist into it for a little more closure. The Leoblaze being there was just sorta an excuse to use the Zan Blade on something.

Now, because I'm in a good mood, another 40k Zoid! This one I've had for a little while, but I didn't feel like posting it. If I was any good at modeling, I'd actually want to make this one, the image in my head is possitively fucking epic.

Name: Shrike Raven

Family: Raven

Height: 4 meters

Length: 16 meters

Weight: 45 tons

Top Speed: Mach 3.5/ Mach 4 w/Assault Jets

Weapons: Storm Bolter, Autoguns, Krak Missiles, Micro-Missiles, Lightning Talons, Bladed Feathers

Abilities: Assault Jets

Class: Alpha

Description

The Shrike Raven is, to be frank, unfair. Developed by the Machine Guild as the ultimate air superiority fighter, the Shrike Raven is the fastest, most dangerous Zoid in the air. The Zoid takes the flexible design of Zoids like the Fire Phoenix and Buster Eagle to the extreme. This Zoid is wicked fast, before the Assault Jets ignite. After, it's ridiculous. The Shrike Raven is capable of insane maneuvers, darting all over the damn sky. That maneuverability is shot when the Assault Jets fire, though it'll be going way too fast for most Zoids to target it. And that maneuverability comes at a cost, the Shrike Raven has the lightest armor in its class. The light armor was actually taken as a joke during the design faze, and the Zoid actually looks tattered and forlorn, the Bladed Feathers poking out here and there making it look quite a bit more fearsome than any ordinary raven.

The Shrike Raven is also heavily armed, with the chest mounted Storm Bolter and wing mounted Autoguns capable of filling the air with lethal rounds. Mounted alongside the Assault Jets are the Krak Missiles, heavy anti-armor missiles capable of destroying heavily armored targets. Built into launchers mounted on the front of Jets are a suite of micro-missiles for dealing with faster, more agile threats. The Lightning Talons and Bladed Feathers give this bird a dangerous amount of close range bite.

Weapons

50mm Storm Bolter

The Bolter is a little different than most guns. It fires like a twin-barreled repeater, each barrel firing a four round burst once every two seconds, volleying for a more constant stream. Each shell has a rocket engine to propel it even faster, and faster bullets mean more penetration. The rocket motors fire up once the shell has traveled 50 meters, so shooting anything closer than that won't benefit from the added speeds, though at that range you won't really care. Further adding to the destructive power, each shell is designed to explode shortly after penetrating, adding a little extra damage.

35mm Autoguns

Mounted in pairs on the underside of the wings, the Autoguns are more traditional aerial weapons. These weapons are simplicity at their finest, machine guns with a rate of fire of 15 rounds per second. Nothing special, but there's four of them.

Krak Missiles

The two Krak Missiles are mounted on each Assault Jet, for a total of four anti-armor missiles. Each Krak Missile mounts a shaped charge specially designed to have high-power and low blast. While this limits the knock back power that most explosives have, they're even better at shearing heavy armor off a Zoid's frame.

Micro-missiles

Four of these are mounted in the launchers on the front of the Assault Jets. They aren't really any different than your average micro-missiles.

Lightning Talons

The Shrike Raven is capable of charging it's talons with matter-disrupting energies for devastating melee strikes. Yes, you really shouldn't attack anything in melee with this Zoid, but the designers were unsupervised, and this is what happens. The matter-disrupting energy used actually makes these more effective than your average Strike Laser Claw, though still not equal to the SLC of the Liger Zero. Other than that, these are pretty much exactly like the SLC, same recharge rate and restrictions.

Bladed Feathers

The feathers of the Shrike Raven are actually wicked sharp, giving this bird the ability cut into an opponent just by hitting them. And you must keep in mind, these feathers are evil. The flight feathers stick far out from the wings, ruffled and tattered as they are. The tail feathers are actually a full 4 meters in length, and look as tattered as the wings do. Nothing incredibly special, but an added incentive not to get close to the Raven.

Abilities

Assault Jets

Mounted on the Shrike Raven are two massive thrusters. These are the much vaunted Assault Jets. The Assault Raven uses these not for fighting, but for getting into a more advantageous position or for getting the hell outta dodge. When in use, the Raven locks its wings in an outward position and the pilot hit's the "Oh Shit" button. The Jets ignite, propelling the Zoid near instantaneously to Mach 4. For pilot safety reasons, the Jets are unable to be active for more than 6 seconds at a time, and must cool down for another 6 seconds after use. There isn't any turning when you use these, so make sure you aren't pointed at, say, the ground when you push that button. Other wise, you won't leave much more than a crater and a smear on the ground.


	31. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

A/N: Well, I'm glad y'all enjoyed the mayhem and revenge. And the response to the 40k Zoid was cool too. I may have to go ahead with my plan to make one for every major race and division of them. If got an awesome one planned out for the Thousand Sons.

The sight that greeted Zephyr when he walked into his hangar space was... not what he expected.

"Oi," he shouted, "'The fuck is wrong with this picture?"

Only the basic frame of the Banshee Hunter was assembled, and even it had a few parts missing. Audrey eyed it curiously, it was a bit bigger than she had expected.

"My apologies, Maestro," one of the senior techs bowed, "But the specifications you laid out for the Zoid are very high, and very difficult to manufacture quickly."

"How long?" he said impatiently.

"We will have the frame done by the end of the day," the tech tallied in his head, "We have been assembling the remaining parts separately to save time, collaborating with the Grand Maestro's team, so-"

"Wait, what?"

"The Grand Maestro decided to lend his assistance. None of your plans have been altered, Maestro, you don't have to worry."

But Audrey could see the perturbed look on his face. Something about that statement unnerved him.

"Alright," he tried to hide his discomfort, "How long then?"

"I would say at the most," the tech took a little extra time to double check his numbers, "Three days, two at the least."

"Err on the side of getting it done well, it takes as long as it takes."

"Yes Maestro, by weeks end you should have your Zoid."

The two walked away to let them work. Audrey had always found it strange that Zephyr didn't really actively participate in the building process, only really enjoying repairing and tweaking the Zoids. But that was a question for another time.

"What's wrong?" she asked once they were out of earshot, "You got a really weird look on your face."

Zephyr was silent for a bit, "It's the Grand Maestro's team. They never help with other team's projects, he's always got them on some secret project or another."

"Maybe it's just a sign of how well he thinks of you?" she pointed out.

"Audrey, you don't get it," he wasn't convinced, "How old do you think he is? He doesn't think like we do, he measures time in years where we measure in minutes. Whatever he's up to, its huge."

"Hmm," she decided to give him that point, she really didn't know the old man as well as he did.

"In any case, let's just enjoy this little break for now, huh?" he grinned, his discontent forgotten.

Audrey smiled brightly, "Yeah!"

(I'm thinking I may stop with the constant rants. Yes, I know, they're the best part of this so-called "story," but I'm running out of funny stuff to say.)

As the principal base of operations, the Machine Guild Base Number Zero, known to the members as the Clocktower, has an extensive number of units devoted entirely to the guild members' well being, both physical and mental. Zephyr was relaxing on the artificial beach when an initiate came up to him.

"Maestro Zephyr," he bowed respectfully, "There is a call for you on the long range."

"Who's it from?" Zephyr questioned, getting up to follow him.

"I don't know, sir," he apologized, "I was only sent to follow you."

Zephyr grunted, it figured that would be the case. He waved the initiate's further apologies off, walking through into the communication room in an annex off the beach. Every unit had at least one of these, as it was the only real way to keep in touch with the outside world. He keyed his personal extension in and put on a headset.

"Hello, Maestro Zephyr here," he spoke clearly to make sure they heard.

"It's been a while," a gruff voice replied, "You would make me wait?"

Zephyr nearly fell out of his chair, "M-my apologies, your Grace. I wasn't aware it was you."

"Hmm. It's fine, I have a job for you, if you will accept it."

Zephyr was immediately in business mode, king or not, "That depends on what you're asking."

The king chuckled on the other end, "You haven't changed at all. It's just a small delivery, deployment orders for a small base near your order's location."

"Hmm, and the time limit?"

"By tomorrow afternoon would be best, I will send you the coordinates."

"Great, what about payment?"

"Will be deposited into your account, I assure you."

"Alright, I should be able to do it."

"Wonderful."

Their business over, Zephyr let his guard down a little, "So, how're the girls doing?"

He heard the king chuckle again, "Julia misses you, though she won't admit it, while Marian has no problem making it known that she wishes you could just live with us all the time, and Helen has admitted that it would be nice to have you around more."

Zephyr sighed, "Let the know I miss them too, I may even swing by in a month or so if I can."

"They'll be delighted to hear it. Now, as much as I would love to stay and chat, I have a country to run and a war to win."

Zephyr made his goodbyes and hung up, grabbing the printed out sheets with the orders he was to transport and the location on them. He made sure to send an initiate off to tell Audrey where he was going, and then sprinted through the halls down to the hangar bay.

"Hey Luft," he called to the Zoid as he climbed into the cockpit, "Feel like making a delivery?"

The Dragon growled its opinion, moving to take off out the opening doors. As soon as there was sufficient room, he Spectre Dragon pushed off and gunned its engines, rocketing out the doors. Zephyr quickly found his heading, making good speed for the base. He checked the math in his head, it'd take them a few hours to get there.

"Alright Luft," he nestled back in his seat, "Wake me if something happens."

For the first time in a long time, Zephyr got to nap through the boring parts of a job. Elsewhere, Audrey developed a twitch in her eye for a reason she couldn't explain.

(Linebreak III: The Linebreak Strikes Back. This time, it's personal.)

Zephyr woke up just an instant before Luft was ready to throw a loop to do so. He ignored the Zoid's grumbles of disappointment, focusing instead on the scene below. They were passing over a small town, just a few houses and a water tower really. One of the houses seemed to be on fire, though they were putting it out swiftly. What got his attention, however, was the Guysack that has fired on the house. He looked at the clock again, they had until tomorrow afternoon to make the two and half hour flight. He put Luft into a dive and grinned.

The Guysack pilot was shouting demands through the external speakers. Something about getting his job back, with a bigger office and new car with shitty gas mileage. Zephyr didn't pause to consider what he would want with it, pulling Luft up hard, slamming into the ground on all fours with enough force to knock several people of their feet. The Dragon's fangs glowed brightly as they went in for the kill, closing around the scorpion and crushing down through it. The Guysack did fight back, scoring a shallow scratch down the Dragon's side with a pincer, but with a contemptuous twist of his head, Luft broke the Zoid in half. The pilot was pulled out a beaten into unconsciousness in short order while Zephyr climbed out to check the damages.

"Ah man," he bitched, "You just got painted, too."

As he climbed back into the cockpit to take off for his mission, a woman stared at him as if she had seen a ghost. She stared after the Dragon long after it had vanished into the sky, not believing her eyes.

"It couldn't be..." she whispered, "It just couldn't be..."

A/N: Short yes, don't really care at this point. I literally have had the first part of this chapter written since I posted the last one, but could not for the life of me get the second part written. Dammit.


	32. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

A/N: As customary by now, I'm gonna hijack my own damn fic to say something. I saw Transformers: Dark of the Moon in the IMAX 3D the other night. Oh. My. God. The best of the trilogy, hands down. Shockwave is the shit, I'm sorry.

On another small note, I'm gonna try and use the line break tool this time, see how it goes. It kinda felt wrong while writing this to be honest...

As soon as Zephyr landed back in the Machine Guild, his senior technician ran up to him.

"Maestro, we're ready to energize the core," he explained, "We've just been waiting for you."

He fell into step with Zephyr, a fast walk on towards their area.

"Any problems?" Zephyr asked.

"A small issue with energy draw, but it was fixed by rerouting power through a more efficient route."

"Changes?"

"None sir, everything is just as you designed."

Zephyr tapped his foot impatiently as the door slid open slowly. The sight when he entered was well worth the wait.

"Oh, kick-ass job, you guys," he grinned, "You all rock hard, out loud."

The Banshee Hunter stood in the center of the room, appearing tiny in the vast expanse. The Allosaurus type Zoid was covered from head to toe in a suit of ivory armor, appearing much like a more angular version of the popular CAS armor used on the Berserk Fuhrer. Twin gatlings mounted on the Zoid's wrists, a suite of what appeared to be boosters on it's back, and the pods on it's hips were the only noticeable equipment. Which was the point.

"Seriously, you all kick so much ass it's incredible," Zephyr praised, turning to regard everyone on his staff.

"Thank you, Maestro," the said in unison.

"Now then," Zephyr turned about, grinning madly, "Let's start this sucker up."

They moved as quickly and efficiently as only they could. Within minutes the Banshee Hunter was secured and ready for start-up to proceed. Zephy was in his customary position on a platform attached to the Zoid, ready to connect the energy siphon. The crew gave their ready signals and he plugged it in. And all hell broke loose.

Audrey was sitting in the cafeteria when the first tremor hit. Emergency klaxons screamed into life a moment later, and people starting running for the shelters. Audrey grabbed a senior member, about to demand to know what was happening.

"I don't know the details, ma'am," he stammered, "Something about a catastrophic Zoid activation cycle. We really should evacuate, ma'am."

But Audrey was already gone, running to Zephyr's hangar as fast as her legs could carry her. She knew that he wouldn't be able to wait to try to wake the thing up. As she ran, she noticed a molten hole through a wall.

"That's not a good sign," she muttered, continuing to sprint. As she passed the massive entry doors, she slid to halt, gaping in shock. The doors to the inner sanctum were cherry red, a circular divot melted into them. Another molten hole in the opposite wall was angled towards Zephyr's hangar, which only made her run harder. As she neared it, she could here the screams and growls of... something. The door to the hangar was still intact, and she punched in the entry code as fast as she could.

"Easy, dammit, easy!" Zephyr was shouting over the Banshee's screams.

Luft lay growling in the corner of the room, a hole melted through his front right leg. Geist was nowhere to be seen, and the Leoblaze was huddled in front of the emergency shelter, the blazing corona of its Energy Shield a seemingly thin protection from the monster that had awakened. As if reacting to Audrey's entry, the Banshee spun around facing the wall. Foot locks slammed down and the plates on it's tail snapped open, Audrey had the morbid impression of a Berserk Fuhrer's in reverse. Then the tip of the tail opened, revealing a gun barrel, and what she had thought were boosters on its back snapped open to reveal exhaust vents. With a terrible scream, it fired a beam of condensed charged particles from the barrel in its tail, a huge burst of steam venting from the back mounted vents.

"That explains the holes," she mumbled, sprinting over to the emergency shelter.

Just as she reached the Leoblaze, she heard the crash of Zoid on Zoid impact and spun around. Geist had appeared out of thin air, using his Optical Camouflage she realized, and slammed into the Banshee's side. Zephyr had been knocked from his perch, but appeared to be unharmed as he sprinted in her direction. He tackled her, knocking them both behind the Leoblaze's shield, just as the Banshee's gatlings spun up. A storm of charged particles erupted from them, the individually weak bolts gaining a new level of danger in such numbers. The Leoblaze's shield held as a smattering of rounds hit it, and the walls surrounding them glowed faintly red, softened from the heat but not breached. Geist didn't waste a second, using his superior experience to duck under the Banshee's swinging arms and shoulder tackle the screaming Zoid. As it staggered back, he swung the Vulcan around hard and bashed it in the head. It staggered a second time before finally falling to the ground, its command system frozen.

"Well," Zephyr laughed nervously, "That was fun."

Audrey just slapped him.

Zephyr sat in the Banshee's cockpit checking over the read-outs on the dash. After checking over everything on the Banshee, it had been deduced that there had to be an issue with the core, as everything else was solid. Zephyr grumbled as the data scrolled along the screen, it was looking like that was the case. The damage to the core may have been repaired, but the scar tissue was too much for it to function like any other Zoid core. The pain was literally driving the Zoid mad. The easiest solution was to de-energize the core and start with a new one.

"Well, since when did I take the easy route," Zephyr growled.

He leapt out of the cockpit turning back to look at the Zoid. It was relatively calm now, they had turned its pain sensors off as a temporary measure. Zephyr was determined to save this core, and he had a hunch as to how to go about that. It all lay in a system the Banshee Hunter already had and used constantly. Zephyr was going over the finer details when Audrey came over to him, the Grand Maestro in tow.

"Hey Zephyr," she said tiredly, "How's it going with the Zoid?"

"I've got an idea," he said animatedly, "We're gonna crank up the Harmonizer System."

The Grand Maestro tilted his head, considering it. Audrey however was completely lost.

"What the hell is the Harmonizer System?" she asked, "And why does that damn thing not make any sound when it moves? It's creepy..."

"The answer to one is the answer to the other," Zephyr chuckled, "As we all know, sound is vibration. The Harmonizer System stops the Zoid from making noise by making an equal and opposite vibration to cancel out the vibrations from its movements. The creaking of joints, footsteps, stuff like that is all completely silent, though it can't stop the sounds from weapons fire or if it decides to roar or something. It's got the cool side-effect of making vibration and sonic weaponry completely useless against it. Our thinking is that by cranking it up, it'll act like a massage against the core's constant pulsations, easing some of the pain caused by the stretching scar tissue."

The Zoid perked up at that, leaning over them to hear better.

"The reasoning is sound, Maestro," the technician cut in, "But we aren't sure if the core containment unit can handle the increased vibrations, and if it breaches we might lose the core altogether."

"And if it doesn't work, we'd have to kill it anyway," Zephyr reasoned, "Now stop arguing with me and fire it up."

The tech bowed and turned to the rest of the team, giving the order. They all stood around the Zoid with bated breath, silently hoping it worked. Out the corner of her eye, Audrey noticed Luft with his cannons leveled at the Banshee's chest, and she was sure Geist was somewhere nearby. There was a sudden snap as the technicians returned the Zoid's pain receptors to power and it flinched. Then a low hum started and the Banshee stopped, stretching to and fro experimentally. The humming died down after a time but the Banshee remained calm. Until it started screeching in joy, able to retain its sanity without any pain. Zephyr whooped and laughed, running up to it with a big grin on his face.

"Welcome to the family," he laughed, "Knochenjäger."

A/N: Yay! For those of you who don't speak German, like me, and don't always use Google Translate, unlike me, my Zoids names actually mean something.

Geisterjäger: Ghost Hunter

Nachtjäger: Night Hunter

Luftjäger: Sky/Air Hunter

Knochenjäger: Bone Hunter

Thought I'd share that. No one's asked, but I figure if I put this in here no one will. I'm being all proactive and shit. Anyway, here's the bio for my Zoid version of Chuck Norris.

Name: Banshee Hunter

Family: Allosaurus

Height: 7.2m

Length: 16.9 meters

Weight: 54 tons

Top Speed: 225kph, 250kph w/boosters

Weapons: Precision Charged Particle Rifle, Particle Gatling Gunsx2, Scream Cannonsx2, Hardened Alloy Teeth and Claws

Abilities: Mass Anchors, Radar-absorbent Armor, Harmonizer System

Class: Alpha

The Gun Sniper and Snipe Master are the pinnacle of long range precision combat on the Zoid battlefield. But there are some targets that its AZ144mm Sniper Rifle just can't crack. Enter the Banshee Hunter, a whole new way to sling death across the battlefield. This mighty Allosaurus Zoid is at the top of long range destruction, decimating its targets with efficiency unknown until now. Larger and bulkier than the Gun Sniper, the Banshee Hunter may seem like a lumbering beast, but don't let it fool you. The seemingly bulky armor was designed along the same lines as the fearsome Berserk Fuhrer's basic CAS armor, to maximize flexibility and agility while still providing complete coverage. The Hunter is swift and merciless, with a speed greater than the Gun Sniper despite the increased weight.

But it wouldn't be a sniper without a precision instrument of destruction, and it delivers in spades. The Banshee Hunter earns its name through the use of the Precision Charged Particle Rifle, paired with a heat exchanger on its back, which lets out a terrible scream with every shot. If the enemy gets close, its more than ready with its Particle Gatling Guns, Sonic Blasters, and a vicious streak a mile wide. Its armor is a tad light, but is built of Radar-absorbent materials to compensate.

Weapons

Precision Charged Particle Rifle

The PCPR is the single most powerful precision instrument of death on the battlefield. Much like the CPG, it generates an enormous amount of heat, melting through anything it hits. The PCPR, however, is focused much more tightly, making for a smaller hole, about 150mm, but it's probably all the way through the Zoid. The extreme focus on the Rifle also focuses the shockwave, making it much more localized for additional impact damage rather than tossing Zoids around. The Banshee Hunter still has to lock down, but this is more about precision and stabilizing than recoil. Furthermore, in able to increase the number of viable sniping locations, the anchors are capable of latching onto even the most uneven surfaces, especially when used in conjunction with the Mass Anchor system. When locked down, the heat exchangers open up and expel exhaust with every shot.

It does have some drawbacks. The beam of light is a sure-fire sign of where you are, and the burst of exhaust is like a beacon to any Zoid with IR sensors. On top of that, the incredibly hot and fast moving beam rips through the air creating the telltale "Banshee scream," which although serving as a powerful morale killing weapon, also serves to let the opponent know where it is if they have the right audio sensing equipment. The only real thing to be done is to move after every shot, and make every shot count. The rate of fire has also dropped significantly, one shot every six seconds or so.

Particle Gatling Guns

The Particle Gatlings draw on the same energy as the PCPR, melting through enemy armor in a storm of energy. Boasting a rate of fire of around twenty-five rounds per second, the Particle Gatlings use the incredible heat inherent to particle weapons to turn armor and internals into molten slag. The bolts, however, cause little to no physical damage, however, so if the target is resistant or absorbs heat your SOL. They also seem to have a diminished effect on more heavily armored and larger targets, as the greater surface area and lack of focus in the guns spreads the damaged throughout the armor plating. It still adds up, but it'll take that much longer to see much effect. As a nod to the Gun Sniper, one is mounted on each arm, though they do not have the ability to rotate. With the arms range of motion and a surprising amount of range and accuracy, these are a danger to nearly anything the Banshee decides to point them at.

Scream Cannons

Upon the discovery of the high-pitched scream that would give this Zoid its name, one scientist had a bit of an epiphany. Enter the Scream Cannons, a weapon so evil they were almost outlawed. Mounted in pods along with the boosters on either thigh of the Banshee, these cannons fire incredibly high frequency pulses of screaming sound, which as any elementary school-er can tell you is vibration. A Zoid that get's hit by these diabolical weapons is literally shaken apart, the more pulses that hit the harder it shakes. And this is where it get's truly evil. The denser and harder the armor, the more damage it will take, as it is unable to flex and take the vibrations as well as other, softer armors. Regardless of how dense the armor is, however, the Zoid that gets hit will find itself shaking quite a bit, and while not enough to throw it off completely, if you're caught in the middle of a complex maneuver it may be just enough to ruin it. That being said, the further away the opponent is, the less effective the pulse is going to be. After 300 yards, your better off firing something else, but once you get within 100, your opponent better pray you don't hit that button. The pilot must also factor in the spread, much like a shot gun the further away you are, the wider spread the shot is. The pods can rotate 45 degrees up and down, with no horizontal movement, which means so can the thrusters, lending itself to some interesting possibilities. The pods have a firing rate of once ever two seconds, but can be volleyed to give a pretty well constant stream of fire.

Hardened Alloy Teeth and Claws

Yes, it's a sniper, and yes you shouldn't let people get close. But this thing is a mean bastard up close, don't let the light armor fool you. It's got a mouth full of nasty, pointy teeth, and an evil set of claws on both hand and foot. And let's not forget the Mass Anchors, which many a pilot has devised a particularly evil use for in close combat.

Abilities

Mass Anchor

The Mass Anchor system allows the Banshee Hunter to take advantage of van der Waals forces to cling to whatever it happens to be anchored to. Notice, I said anchored to. As the Mass Anchors are actually built into the foot locks, the Banshee must be locked down before the Mass Anchor is used, but once it is, you can't make it let go. The only real limitation is the terrain. While the Mass Anchor will latch onto anything and not let go, the same cannot be said of what it's grabbing. If a hard enough force is applied, it'll tear whatever it happens to be latched onto up outta the ground.

Radar-absorbent Armor

Not much that's special here, the Banshee is made almost entirely of Radar-absorbent materials, making it that much harder to find. The only real drawbacks are it being somewhat fragile for its weight and class, and the fact that the more damage it takes, the less effective the armor is. But you gotta find it first.

Harmonizer System

Newton's Third Law states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. This is true of everything, and Zoid pilots everywhere are intimately familiar with it. When the multi-ton death machine walks, it makes a noise. When the enemy hears that noise, they ruin your day. The Harmonizer System seeks to tell Newton to back the hell off. By neutralizing the noises of the Zoid's operation through an extremely complex series of vibrations that serve to cancel out the vibrations that carry sound from the Zoid, the Banshee Hunter becomes a literal ghost, completely silent in operation. This system doesn't stop roars or growls, or the 'Banshee Scream' from the PCPR, but you won't hear a damn thing standing right next to it when it moves. The vibrations have the double effect of neutralizing the effect of vibration-based weapons on the Zoid's armor, from vibro-blades to sonic weaponry.


	33. Chapter 32

Chapter 32

AN: I'm glad the reaction to the Banshee has been so positive! This is really more of a build-up for the next mini-ark.

Shadow: I'm sure I can set you up with a used Zoid, I'll give you a good deal since we're pals...

Crypto: This is a story about giant mechanical animals with weapons that border on WMDs. None of this is scientifically sound. And there is melee, just forgot to put it in there, should be updated now.

random: Good to have you back, a lot has happened since you were here. As always, hope you enjoy this.

And a big thank you to Hellfires Fury for putting an alert on my story, hope to hear what you think soon!

* * *

The repairs from the Banshee's rampage were going well, the holes being patched and the fires from the extreme heat put out. So far there had been no reports about overwhelming loss or anyone injured, but Zephyr had given his team express orders to assist any teams that had any setbacks because of the episode. None of this was on Audrey's mind, however.

"You're up to something," she accused Zephyr.

Zephyr gave her his best innocent look, which wasn't that great to begin with.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," he lied smoothly.

"Bullshit, what are you planning?"

But try as she might, she couldn't get him to spill the beans. Even the threat of violence did nothing, and he quickly changed the subject.

"How long have you had that Gustav?" he deflected.

"I dunno, it was farm vehicle for as long as I can remember," she thought, "Why?"

"Cause it's kinda a wreck," he dodged her inevitable slap, "Hear me out, dammit! I may have reinforced the damn thing, but it's still older than both of us combined. It can't take much more abuse, and I don't want to be there when it just breaks down. It was fine as a farm vehicle, but we're mercenaries, it's gonna take some hits."

Audrey sighed, "I know. I'm just kinda attached to the thing I guess. Maybe I'll try to get it sent back to the farm, I'm sure we could find someone to do it."

"That's gonna be kinda difficult."

"The hell does that mean."

Zephyr said nothing, just opening a door into another Maestro's hangar. What Audrey saw made her jaw go slack.

"What is that," she asked, in awe.

"That, my young lass," a female voice answered, "Is the Grastav."

Zephyr turned to talk to the young brunette who had sidled up to them, but Audrey couldn't take her eyes off the Grastav. It was side-by-side with Audrey's Gustav, and she could see that it was a small amount bigger than the old Insect. It retained the old cross-section, but the armor had sharp ridges and the head looked more heavily armored. She watched as a section of armor retracted just above its head, revealing a duo of gun barrels. Another section just above them moved to reveal a larger cannon, and Audrey almost lost it.

"It's really hard to surprise you when you keep badgering me, y'know," Zephyr grinned sheepishly, "Klaudia here was willing to hook us up with the first production model after her prototype won her a Maestro position. This thing doesn't go out for public ownership for another, what, two years?"

Audrey didn't say anything, she just tackled him to the ground in a huge hug. He put up with it for a short while, but when she started to cave his ribs in he had to pry her off. After taking a few deep breaths to pop everything back into place, he gave her a smaller, more manageable hug.

"Happy birthday Sparks," he beamed.

In no time at all, Audrey had her new Grastav hooked up to a new set of trailers. Geist and Luft each warranted there own trailer, but the two smaller Zoids shared a slightly larger one to save space. Audrey sat in the cockpit rearranging the controls to her liking, while Zephyr oversaw some additional modifications to bring it up to his standards. Mostly sensor equipment, as Zephyr admitted to himself that Klaudia had built a damn good machine. Audrey's Gustav was being completely overhauled and would be shipped back to her home.

"Alright, that's everything," Zephyr announced, hopping into the cockpit, "We're ready to shove off."

"Almost done here," she answered, "You know where we're headed?"

"Somewhere with work, I wanna put Knochen through his paces."

"Right, the psycho Zoid with the charged particle sniper rifle..."

"Hey, I fixed him!"

"Uh huh, I'm bursting with confidence."

"Shut the hell up."

"Anyway, I picked us up a job while you were bitching," she pointed at the dash.

"Oh, that was quick," he leaned over to read it, "Looks boring."

"Boring means safe."

"Boring means there's a catch, which means it probably isn't safe."

Audrey didn't bother arguing with him over something he was probably right about. They were cleared to leave, and she wasted no time in kicking her new Zoid into gear. The Grastav hauled its trailers with no problem whatsoever, the additional weight not hindering it in the least. The new Zoid thundered through the doors of the base, quickly leaving them in the dust. They made a hard turn northward towards their new source of income.

* * *

The town of Argheiz-hurn was close enough to the border to have seen some action. A breakthrough attempt by the Republic had actually pushed into the town proper, and several buildings had been toppled and others sported battle scars. Main street was a cratered mess with bridges of wooden planks cobbled together over the biggest holes. The Grastav pulled up next to a large wooden house with a large hole knocked out of the roof. Zephyr hopped out of the cockpit and looked around, whistling.

"Damn...," he said in awe, "This place is a shit hole if I ever saw one. Sturdy ass planks though, I thought we were gonna go straight through the first one."

"You ain't the only one," Audrey grimaced at the planks just behind them, "This is supposedly the place."

Zephyr looked around for anyone on the street. Seeing no one, he shrugged and walked up to the door. A few pounds later, the door swung open to reveal a very irritated man holding a rather large gun.

"What the hell do you want?" he growled, pumping his shotgun for emphasis.

"Put the gun away," Zephyr said neutrally.

The man shifted to aim at Zephyr's stomach, "And why would I do that?"

As if in answer, a massive gun barrel leveled itself with his head, hovering over Zephyr's shoulder. The Fox on the other end growled.

"'Cause mine's bigger," Zephyr deadpanned.

At first it seemed like he might just shoot Zephyr after all, but after a moment he slowly lowered the gun. Geist didn't move his Vulcan an inch, keeping it level with the man's scowl.

"I've lowered mine, tell you're beast to lower his," he growled.

"Yeah, not gonna happen," Zephyr chuckled, "I don't trust people who pull guns on me. Anyway, I'm here for the job you put out, nothing else."

This seemed to take the man aback, and he inspected Zephyr with a critical eye.

"You don't look much like a mercenary," he noted.

"You're powers of observation are astounding," Zephyr answered dryly.

"Still, it's refreshing to see someone willing to go behind enemy lines."

Audrey ducked back into the Grastav quickly as Zephyr stuck his head out the door to glare at her.

"I fucking told you!" he shouted.

* * *

AN: Haha, surprise new Zoid reveal! I love the Gustav, always have, but I thought it was time for a new unit. So, as always, here's the bio!

Name: Grastav  
Family: Insect  
Height: 11.2 meters  
Length: 15.9 meters  
Weight: 97 tons  
Top Speed: 176 kilometers per hour  
Weapons: Dual AZ Impact Cannon, High-Intensity Laser Cannon  
Special Abilities: Zoid Trailers, Mass Anchors

Description

The noble Gustav is the single most prevalent example of Zoid on Ire. But as reliable as it is, the Gustav is starting to show its age. In an attempt to keep the spirit of the Gustav alive, the Machine Guild have designed what could simply be considered an updated version, the Grastav.

The Grastav is remarkably similar to the Gustav in appearance, if a little larger with the newly designed ridged armor. The Grastav has usurped the Gustav as the most heavily armored Zoid pound for pound, a this little machine can take a shitload of punishment. The designers have also integrated the popular weapon modifications, adding a duo of Impact Cannons hidden underneath the shell as well as a High-Intensity Laser Cannon just above them. While it won't out fight any dedicated combat Zoids, this little bastard can give well enough to make messing with it a dangerous prospect. And even with all these additions, the Grastav can still haul more than the original Gustav and move all that weight faster to boot. Don't take this guy lightly.

Weapons

Dual AZ Impact Cannons

Hidden under a retractable plate of armor just above the Grastav's cockpit are two small, unassuming barrels. Unassuming until they start slinging 200mm Anti-Zoid slugs out at two rounds per second per barrel. Other than that, nothing really special about them.

High-Intensity Laser Cannon

Hidden under another retractable plate of armor just above the Impact Cannons is the rather large barrel of the High-Intensity Laser Cannon. Based on a similar weapon used by such Zoids as the Cannon Tortoise, the HILC fires a supercharged laser blast that can melt through armor like it was made of paper. The HILC does take some time to charge, around 3 seconds between shots, but every shot is gonna hurt.


	34. Chapter 33

Chapter 33

A/N: Holy shit, it's been a while. Sorry 'bout that folks, things have been hectic, more on that at the end of this chapter.

randomcat: Nice to see you're all caught up, was wondering when I was gonna see another review spree.

Shadow: Hehe, but if you act now you can get 0% apr for six months, and I'll even throw in a free air freshener!

Crypto: Y'know, I had thought about that, but it would be way to friggin' obvious really. I have other ways of driving Zoids insane...

* * *

"I can pay you twice what the posting was for!" the man was begging at this point.

"I am not going behind enemy lines for any amount of money, fuck that," Zephyr wasn't hearing any of it.

"Now hold on, Zephyr," Audrey tried to be diplomatic, "Let's at least-"

"Hear him out? Look at the fuckin' map, no way in hell I'm going in that deep."

Audrey looked at the map again, and as much as she wanted to help she had to agree. The location the man had tagged was a full three hundred miles into the Republic proper, far from any support. Zephyr was a mercenary after all, and no one lasted long without a finely honed survival instinct. Hers wasn't anywhere near as acute as his was, and it was screaming to just let this one go.

"I'm sorry man, I really am," Zephyr said with finality as he stood to leave, "But there's nothing you can say or do that'll get me in that location."

"And if I told you it was of national importance?"

"I'd say that you need to take it up with the military, not me."

"The military can't touch it, it's in the middle of a population center. They're deploying their fucking commando units from there."

Zephyr halted on his path to the door. Twice now he'd had to tangle with Republican commandos, the second time had cost him dearly. Without realizing it, the guy had said the one thing that could get Zephyr into the Republic.

"You aren't actually thinking about this...," Audrey tried to dissuade him.

"Geist's IFF was never actually registered with the Imperial logs," Zephyr thought out loud, ignoring her, "I wouldn't be able to take the Leoblaze, but a single Shadow Fox roaming the countryside shouldn't be enough to draw any attention if I'm seen."

"So you'll do it?" the man's face lit up.

"For three times the pay," Zephyr was quick to shoot down his optimism, "And don't even think about stiffing me, I won't hesitate to end you if you do."

Zephyr left the finer details for Audrey to work out, choosing instead to ready Geist for and extended period behind enemy lines. This would be their first real commando mission, just them against whatever they found in that base. Despite his worries, Zephyr started to grin. This was gonna get interesting.

* * *

Zephyr was always struck by just how sudden the change was at the border. Desolate wasteland became fertile plain in little more than a mile, with rolling hills and forests. But he wasn't here for sight seeing. This particular part of the border was notoriously hard to navigate, as the Imperial side was a mass of cracked and shattered boulders, some as big as a King Gojulas. Most Zoids couldn't find good enough footing to navigate them safely, and so the patrols were negligible. But the Shadow Fox wasn't most Zoids, and its anchors allowed it to walk were no other Zoid could. Geist slipped through the crags with contemptuous ease, Optical Camouflage snapping on the instant they were in Republican territory.

"Alright, there goes the easy part," Zephyr checked his scopes again, "The first town is due north-east. Let's get goin', Geist."

The Shadow Fox raced off into the plains. Zephyr was immediately struck by how different the terrain was. The dirt didn't give the same way sand did, nor was it as hard as the ground out in the badlands. It wouldn't seem like much to most, but he knew the difference could spell an ill-timed jump or turn in battle. Which could, in turn, be the end of their mission. Geist felt it too, and took to loping back and forth, getting a feel for the soil.

They set up camp at the half-way point to the town, Zephyr not wanting to enter at night. Though "camp" brings to mind a tent and a campfire. In reality, it was simply them finding a small dugout for Geist to lie in that would make him harder to see. Zephyr set the multisensor to wake him if it detected anything, then settled down to sleep. Between the hum of Geist's workings and the screaming guitars in his ears, he was quickly off to sleep.

* * *

Audrey was not having a good time. They'd managed to secure their payment in advance, reasoning that once he was over the border their was no reason for him not to finish the mission. But that was little consolation to Audrey, who couldn't help but think he was going to get into a huge amount of trouble while she wasn't supervising him.

"...dammit, I'm not good with this kind of stuff," she grumbled.

They'd decided not to have her wait for him in the town, it was just too close to the border to be safe, and a brand new Zoid design would be a prize no one could resist. And so Audrey had moved further south, to the town of Greysburch. A kindly couple had given her a place to stay for a few days, but after that she would need to find a new place to sleep. Compared to what Zephyr would be going through though, her problems seemed petty in comparison. She sighed again, looking out the window of the small house, wondering just what Zephyr was doing at the moment. She almost didn't hear the woman calling her for dinner, so lost in thought as she was. As she stood to go eat, she spotted a shooting star streaking across the sky. Never one to be superstitious, she couldn't help but offer a short wish for Zephyr to make it through alive. It couldn't hurt his chances.

* * *

"...this is too weird," Zephyr muttered.

Geist growled in agreement, looking around the town in interest. Zephyr had been to many towns and cities throughout the Kaylear Empire, but he'd never seen anything quite like this. The town was literally built into the hills, the roads were made up of valleys between the sudden lumps of earths that seemed to sprout from everywhere. It looked like the ground had bubbled up, and the people had simply hollowed out the small mounds for use as houses and other buildings. And all the greenery! Zephyr would never get used to seeing this much vegetation in one place, even around the oasis the only places with so many plants were the farms. People milled about, paying the Shadow Fox no mind. Not that they needed to worry, as he had been in the sights of a pair of Snipe Masters atop a pair of particularly large hills from the moment he had entered the town.

"Well, I'm gonna check the place out, maybe get some intel," Zephyr decided, "You keep your eyes up and your nose down, eh Geist?"

The Fox yipped as Zephyr hopped out of the cockpit and quickly entered the crowds. He quickly decided that these people were a little different than those in the Empire. Where as the Kaylear were an industrial, hardy folk who tended to speak their minds quickly and bluntly, these people were all smiles and kind greetings. Decades of fighting to survive daily had bred into the average Kaylear a disdain for pleasantries and small talk. With these Republicans it seemed that easier living had given way to easier temperaments, and where a pair of Kaylear would be discussing business before personal matters, Zephyr saw business owners stopping to chat with passerby, even trusting customers to leave their money for purchases without checking it. To say he was having a sense of culture shock would have been an understatement. So deep in his thoughts, he didn't see the girl until he ran headlong into her. They both hit the ground with an grunt, and both were back on their feet at the same instant.

"Watch it, jerk!" they shouted in unison.

Zephyr growled, then stopped, dumbstruck. The girl stared back, equally shocked as they studied each other. Her magenta eyes stared straight into his own indigo orbs with an intensity that unsettled him, as it matched his own. She wore her hair in waves down to the small of her back, with a small clip keeping her bangs out of her eyes. But the color held his attention for a long moment. It was snow white, the same as his own, and brushed till it shone like spun silver. He saw she had come to the same conclusion, but chose to ignore it for the moment, choosing to dwell on the more important fact. That she was armed, and her hand was dangerously close to that pistol. He slowly drew his own hand away from his knife, and she did the same.

"Err, sorry 'bout that," she started awkwardly, "I wasn't really paying attention."

"Eh, me neither I s'pose," he chuckled nervously, "Didn't hurt'cha did I?"

"I'm tougher than I look," she said flatly, "Rather, you aren't from here are you?"

Zephyr prayed his chosen cover worked as he answered, "Nah, I immigrated from the Empire right before the war. Figured I'd earned a little easier livin', y'know."

She chuckled at that, and Zephyr took the time to take a better look at her. She was pretty, not incredibly curvy but built more like a gymnast or runner. In contrast to her well taken care of hair, she was dressed rather conservatively. The tank-top she was wearing exposed a her arms, letting him see a good bit of muscle. She obviously took care of herself. The baggy pair of cargoes and the combat boots left little mystery as to what she was, as if the gun hadn't been enough of a clue.

"Anyway, 'names Zephyr," he held out a hand, "Nice running into you, Miss...?"

She seemed to regard his hand for moment, cocking her head to the side, before smiling and gripping it in a firm handshake. Firm enough to show Zephyr she would have little problem breaking him in half if she got her hands on him, not that he was worried. She'd have to catch him first.

"Anya," she smiled, "Anya Ellister."

* * *

A/N: Hehe, betcha no one saw that coming. Who is this Anya, why is she suddenly interested in Zephyr? I know, but y'all don't mwahahahahaha. And as you can see, the Republic is way different than the Empire. I figure, if you live in an area where food is plentiful and the climate is always nice, you're gonna be a more pleasant people in general. The town was a sort of spur of the moment thing that I wanted to get in there to sort of explain just how different these people are to the Empire. And yes, Zephyr has an accent all of a sudden, there is a reason, I assure you.

Anyway, I've been busy lately. On top of getting more hours at work (Yay!) I'm also in the process of joining the Army. Y'all know what that means, unfortunately at some point I'm gonna go off to basic and there's gonna be a big ass gap between posts. I promise you that if I haven't finished this story by then, which is starting to look like it's gonna be the case, I will not abandon it. I have every damn intention of seeing this thing to its end. That being said, I do have my priorities. Now, in the interest of keeping things interesting for y'all (And cutting back on the amount of work I have to do...), I'm gonna give you guys an opportunity. I'm looking for three NPCs for an upcoming arc, and I'd like to ask you guys for your ideas. To keep spoilers to a minimum, do NOT post them in a review, send me a message. Here's what I'll need:

Name

Age

Gender

Zoid (Try not to be overzealous here, m'kay?)

Appearance (Feel free to be as descriptive as you wish. Shadow can attest to my own characters, I loves the descriptions. Y'all should no my character styles by now, but feel free to try for something a little different if you think it will fit.)

Personality (Again, go nuts. I''ll try to emulate what you write in here, but I'll ask if there's anything I need clarified.)

I will try to leave them as they are, but if there's anything I need to change for the sake of the story, I will ask before I make any changes. You will receive credit for your own NPCs in the disclaimer. However, I will NOT be saying what these NPCs roles are in the story. That's for me to know, and y'all to find out. But don't worry, they do have a big part to play in said arc, you're character won't be put into some bit part after all the work you did on them. If I don't get any or enough entries that I like or can work with, I'll come up with some of my own and run with it. Limit of two characters per person please, and no getting mad if I don't use your character. Deadline for entries will be... by chapter 40, whenever the hell I get to it.


	35. Chapter 34

Chapter 34

Shadow: I can respect that, it really isn't a life for everyone. Hell, I'm not entirely sure it's the life for me, but we'll see what happens. And it wouldn't be a COMPLETE wreck, let's call it a Zoid with... character.

* * *

"Haha, no way!" Anya laughed.

Zephyr laughed along with her. After their run in, she had offered to buy him lunch as an apology. Zephyr had to admit, the food was great, and she made better company than he had expected. In no time at all, he found himself sharing stories about his past exploits, careful not to divulge anything that she could use against him. Audrey's existence, for instance.

"So, what happened afterward?" she leaned forward, eager for more.

"Well, I dropped a nearby crag on top o' the fuckers," Zephyr chuckled at the memory, "'Course, then the fuckin' König came after me..."

"A König Wolf, seriously!"

"Yep, damn thing played hide n' seek with me for near a half-hour..."

"So, what sort of Zoid do you pilot, anyway?"

Zephyr gave her a look, which she studiously ignored. The smile on her face told him that if he didn't tell her, she'd follow him and find out anyway. He growled low, he hated being outfoxed.

"I'm the proud owner of a Shadow Fox," he couldn't help but puff up when he said it.

"Hmm," Anya didn't look impressed, "Is that all? The way you were talking about it, I thought you had your hands on something more impressive, like a Liger Zero or something."

"I'll have you know I've beaten a Zero in single combat, as well as several other Zoids. Don't knock my fuckin' Fox."

"Whoa, whoa," Anya put her arms up in surrender, "Down boy, I was kidding. Nice to see you're passionate about your machine, though."

Zephyr smiled at that, "Yeah, me 'n him have been together for a long time..."

Anya smiled and gestured for the waiter to bring the check. A short while later, the two of them walked out of the restaurant, Anya playfully twining an arm through his. Laughing at his flustered expression, Anya twirled away from him, stopping a few feet away and looking him in the eye.

"I had fun," she said happily, "Maybe we can do this again if you're ever in town, Mr. Mercenary."

Zephyr smiled despite himself, "Me too, maybe I'll look you up next time, eh? Try not to get yourself killed out there, Soldier-girl."

She laughed at that and raced off with a wave. Zephyr waved back, shaking his head. He hadn't lied, he really had enjoyed himself. But the job came first, and the likelihood was that he'd never see her again, she might even be killed in some border skirmish tomorrow. He sighed at the thought, he had horrible taste as always. After a quick look to get his bearings, Zephyr walked quickly to where he'd left Geist. It was time to raze a secret base.

* * *

The night was quiet in the city of Aurbac. The fact that they had a covert operations center smack in the middle of town dissuaded any crime, whether it be the citizens or wandering bandits. So it came as a huge surprise to everyone when the first of the shells slammed into the city, sowing fire and chaos. The bandits stormed out the plains, Sabre Tigers and Dark Horns firing at any target that presented itself. The city guards were completely unprepared and quickly overwhelmed. As the band of brigands tore through the city, concealed entrances slid open silently. From these gaping maws came the screaming of commando Zoids. From each of the entrances came different incarnations of death. A trio of Genosaurers screamed onto the field on their boosters, mowing down enemies with bursts of fire from their guns. A Hammerhead and Salamander soared above the field, missiles and laser fire raining down on the field, while a pair of wily Barigators slipped in between buildings unnoticed until their jaws closed around another Zoid's legs. Even a mighty Iron Kong, the myriad of weapons sowing death on anything that dared get in its way. So elated were the defenders that no one noticed the blur slip into one of the entry ways just before it shut tight.

"Idiots," Zephyr muttered, guiding Geist deeper into the base.

It had been a simple matter to draw the local bandit clans into his plan. They all knew that the destruction of the hidden base would open up several nearby settlements for pillaging. They were fully willing to die for the opportunity to raid these profitable areas. So when Zephyr had offered them the chance to make it happen, they jumped at the opportunity. He knew the city guards would be unable to stop the tide of Zoids, he also knew that the commandos would easily kill them all. But when they emerged to fight, they would leave their base undefended, overconfident in the fact that it was hidden.

As he had expected, only a token defense awaited him, a trio of Anti-Zoid turrets. He didn't even bother with dropping the shield, turning the Impact Cannon on each one in turn, the heavy shells ripping through the armored turrets easily. The denizens of the base were in a frenzy as the invisible Fox opened fire on anything and everything. The Vulcan tore through housing and equipment like a scythe through a field of wheat, and every boom of the Impact Cannon heralded the end of another hardened structure. The damage was total, and within minutes the base was a sea of fire. Feeling rather pleased with himself, Zephyr guided the still cloaked Fox out an open entrance and off into the night. The bandits were in full retreat, with the Hammerhead and one of the Barigators smoldering where they had been felled. Zephyr didn't worry with these matters, his job was over and done with.

"Time to head home," he sighed, and Geist growled in agreement as he loped onto the plains.

* * *

While the war had yet to escalate into a full blown invasion, the borders were still rife with engagements. Just south of the town Zephyr had previously visited, a fierce battle had erupted between the Imperial defenders and a force of Republican storm troopers. Infantry dueled from cover points as the Zoids fought fiercely, the behemoths not even minding the ants at their feet. A Republican Liger bit through an Imperial Arosaurer's throat, only to be struck down by a shell from an Anti-Zoid Cannon emplacement. The battle raged back and forth, but the Republican forces were locked out of Imperial territory by their artillery and cannon defenses. Even if they didn't run out of Zoids, the Imperial defenses were sufficient to keep them out, and they were too well dug in to easily destroy. The defenders began to rally, pushing the Republicans back with a sudden surge. They were ready to take the fight to them.

The first charged particle blast tore through a cannon emplacement and slagged the rock it was partially hidden by. Another sliced through an Imperial Warshark just as it surfaced. A third destroyed another cannon emplacement along with the Shield Liger that had leapt into the path of blast in an attempt to stop it. Before the Imperial forces could get back into their formations, the Berserk Fuhrer slammed down to earth among them, a terrible roar erupting from its gaping jaws. With savage glee, the Fuhrer slammed into the defenders with Buster Claws screaming from the high rpm. An Arosaurer cried out in agony as a claw stabbed into its chest and ripped out through its shoulder, while the Fuhrer simultaneously opened fire on a Blade Liger that was circling behind it, the beams cutting through its armor like tissue paper. The remaining defender started into a fighting retreat, a renewed artillery bombardment forcing the Fuhrer back. But the damage was done, and their position was weakened. It would be a week at least until they could replace the defenses they had lost, and the defenders knew that the Republicans would redouble their efforts.

The Fuhrer stalked back into the Republican camp, enraged. How dare the puny defenders try to keep it from killing until it was satisfied. The pilot chuckled at the Zoids barely contained fury. A hand patted the dash comfortingly.

"Fantastic work, ma'am," the camp's senior officer chimed in via the coms, "With your help, maybe we can work our way deeper into their territory."

"I'm not here to aid you in driving your way in," the pilot corrected, "Only to aid you in gaining access to the Imperial lands. Once you are in, you will be on your own."

The Fuhrer growled again, stamping a foot in irritation. It wanted to be in the thick of it, killing and maiming until it was done. She patted the Zoid again. A call came in again, this one from central command. A stern looking middle-aged man appeared on her screen, and she straitened sub-consciously.

"Good work, Major," he said gruffly, "Our assets on the ground have informed us that you have bumped our invasion projections up a full two weeks."

"Thank you sir," she replied seriously, "Where am I needed now?"

"Another spot on the border, two hundred kilometers west of your location. The Imperials have fielded a pair of Gojulas with heavy weapons, along with a force of Iron Kongs. Our own heavy details are a week out, they'll be able to assist in penetrating the lines once their in position, but you can destroy the defenders assets in the meantime."

"Sir, wouldn't I be better off on a commando detail, sowing discord behind the lines? Their must be plenty who can-"

"Do not get over confident because you were chosen to be a Republican Guard!" he barked, "Elite or not, you still report to me, understand? Now you will be at that position by morning, do you understand me Major?"

"Yessir General Ellister," Anya saluted, "I understand you just fine."

* * *

A/N: Who saw that coming? Yeah, who am I kidding, you all did. It was so fucking obvious, but I can't really surprise you all the time, can I? Interesting tidbit, originally I wanted Zephyr to be in the Fuhrer, have the awesome dinosaur as the hero for a change. In the end, my Shadow Fox love won out. And yes, I say Fuhrer, cause frankly Berserk Fury is redundant. If you're berserk, you already have fury, so why do you need to say both? Seriously, retarded censorship at its finest. Did you know that Harry's robot pals were gay? Also edited out in the English dubs.

Anyway, I'm going away for the weekend, so don't expect any updates during the first part of this coming week. I'll try to write if I have access to my computer, but I can make no promises. And, because I seriously want to bring more people in, check out the RP site I've been harping for several chapters now, and let 'em know I sent'cha.


	36. Chapter 35

Chapter 35

Shadow: You'd have to be more specific, I've done that with a lot of them.

Crypto: Of course its overused, most awesome things are. But I guarantee you've never seen a Fuhrer used like I do.

Audrey sighed as she started on her self-imposed chore list. Years of being on a farm had drilled into her a work ethic that, despite her best efforts, refused to go away. It would sometimes lie dormant, usually when there was a lot happening, only to come back with a vengeance when she finally found a chance to relax and sit. So, rather than curse and bemoan this demon of hers, she'd decided to channel it into something useful. And so every morning after breakfast she went down and wiped down the Zoids, trying to buff out the little nicks and scratches they got from traveling through the badlands. She was sure Zephyr would appreciate the thought, she only hoped things were going well.

Zephyr swore under his breath. He had planned to escape using the same path he'd taken to enter the country, but apparently news of his infiltration had spread faster than he'd anticipated. The whole border in this area was on total lock down, even the supposedly impassable crags he'd used to enter the Republic. Now his only hope was to move farther along and hope for the best. He cursed his rotten luck and set the Shadow Fox into a run before he was spotted by any patrols. He could only hope their security opened up a little further down.

It didn't take long for his hope to be realized. Fifty miles down the line, and open span of border, not a patrol in sight on either side.

"So why then," he grumbled, "Do I feel so nervous?"

Geist sniffed the air, searching for anything amiss. Slowly the Fox stalked forward, confident in its ability to stay hidden with its Optical Camouflage and stealth skills. Perhaps a little too confident, as the scream from above attested. The Fox leapt to the side an instant before a hail of rounds slammed into the ground where it had stood, tearing the ground to pieces. Zephyr looked around frantically, catching a glimpse out the corner of his eye before it disappeared.

"Fuck this thing is fast," he growled.

Geist opened up with the Vulcan, filling the air with fire. Try as he might, he couldn't get the enemy in his crosshairs, the small shape tearing through the air at incredible speeds. A smattering of rounds carved a trail down Geist's side as it dived at him again, and Zephyr smirked as he spotted the sparks of impact on the shadow as it raced overhead.

"Gotcha you son of a bitch," he grinned.

His celebration was short lived as Geist was rocked with impact. Another Zoid had slammed into Geist's side, and the Fox was knocked off his feet. The Zoid opened fire on the stricken Shadow Fox, tearing into its side with a quartet of machine guns. The Fox screamed in pain, quickly swiveling its own Vulcan and returning fire. The sparks that burst from the mystery Zoid seemed off to Zephyr, it didn't look like they were tearing into metal. His suspicions were ratified when the shape suddenly disengaged, racing towards a larger object that had appeared. The flying enemy raced toward it as well, and the two suddenly disassembled and combined with it.

"Oh fuck me sideways," Zephyr growled as he and Geist readied for the fight of their life.

The Gairyuki roared and raced forward, jaws open and ready to tear Geist limb from limb.

Audrey sighed in relief as she finished buffing out the last of the Zoids. They were all reclining on their trailers, shiny and happy. Her Grastav was still a bit of a mess, but she could get to it tomorrow.

"Tomorrow...," she murmured, "Zephyr should be back by then."

He'd been gone nearly a week, the longest he'd ever been off on a mission. She wouldn't have worried ordinarily, but he was doing exactly what Julia had warned them not to do. But he couldn't leave it alone, he had to get himself involved in the war. In truth, she should've seen it coming, but she didn't want to think about what might happen. He wasn't a soldier, the mercenary mindset was deeply ingrained into his personality. The moment something too dangerous came along, he would do whatever it took to save his own skin. And if something pissed him off, he'd stop at nothing until it was a smoldering ruin. Neither were great traits to have in a soldier.

She was drawn out of her thoughts by a sound in the distance. She cocked her head to the side and concentrated. Gunfire, and it was getting closer. Luft and Knochen had heard it as well, and both were up and alert. Without hesitation, Audrey ran to them and undid their restraints. She couldn't pilot them, but they could use their weaponry just fine from their trailers. The Leoblaze growled as she approached, it was ready to fight. In anticipation of possible trouble, Geist had given the small Lion Zoid strict orders to protect Audrey and the Grastav. She threw the restraints off the Leoblaze and it leapt off the trailer to stand beside the Grastav. Audrey herself quickly hopped into the Grastav's cockpit and started the Zoid up.

"Alright guys," she said through the exterior speakers, "Shoot anything that looks at us wrong, kay?"

The growls and shifting from behind her told her that Luft was ready, along with the silent hiss from Knochen as he readied his guns silently. The Leoblaze roared and began to run alongside the Grastav as Audrey headed off. She wasn't planning on fighting, she was actually hoping she could scare whatever it was that was coming away from the village. As they headed out towards the noise, she caught sight of what the commotion was all about. A Command Wolf was darting to and fro, desperately trying to evade the pair of Lightning Saix. They knew there was no way for the Wolf to evade them, and were running circles around it, skidding to a stop every so often to take potshots at the Wolf.

"Knochen, I'm detaching your trailer," Audrey said quickly as she hit a couple of buttons, "Hit 'em from a distance for me, okay?"

The Allosaur didn't bother answering, instead readying the Precision Charged Particle Rifle for firing. Luft rotated his guns back and forth, checking his turret for fluid motion. Audrey readied her own Zoid, opening the doors for her Impact Cannons. She spied the Leoblaze deploying his Zan Blade out the corner of her eye. The Command Wolf had spotted them, as had the Saix. One of the Saix peeled off to attack them, opening fire on the Grastav. The Leoblaze leapt in front of the lumbering Zoid and snapped on its shield, stopping the incoming fire in its tracks. A sudden roar broke the air and the Grastav broke to the side with the Leoblaze an instant before the stream of particles screamed through the space where it had been and speared the Lightning Saix. The Cheetah Zoid howled in pain and slumped to the ground, completely disabled. The second Saix broke off immediately, unwilling to open itself up to the Banshee's lethal weapon. Unfortunately for it, the evasive turn that Audrey had thrown the Grastav into lined the fleeing Saix and the Spectre Dragon up perfectly, and the Dragon opened fire with its side guns and back mounted cannons. The Saix was hammered by the rounds and simply shattered from the repeat impacts from the heavy rounds. The Command Wolf came to a stop just in front of the Grastav.

"Hey, thanks for the assist!" the pilot chirped through the coms.

"No problem," Audrey replied, "You gotta be careful out here, y'know?"

The roar from the Leoblaze was all the warning she got, and all the warning she needed. Her hands flew to the firing stud, and the Laser Cannon fired through the armored plate covering. Not dissipated in the least, the bolt of energy melted through the barrels of the guns the Wolf had leveled with the Grastav's cockpit just before it melted the Zoid's head. The decapitated Wolf teetered for an instant before it toppled over, and Audrey fell back into her chair with a sigh of relief. The dash computer was beeping like crazy, the Laser Cannon had melted a large hole in the Grastav's armor, and the backlash of energy had fused the barrel. It would need pretty hefty repairs before it could be fired, but they were still alive. That was something. Audrey turned the Zoid around and went to pick up Knochen, Zephyr would not be happy with her if she just left his Zoid out in the middle of nowhere.

Geist howled in pain as the Gairyuki picked him up by the throat, its fangs digging into the Fox's armor. With a heave, the Zoid hurled the Shadow Fox to the size, bashing against a boulder. The Fox returned fire with the Vulcan, growling as it watched the odd sparks again, watching the chain lightning sink into the Gairyuki's Ray Absorbing Verniers.

"Those damn panels are fucking us," Zephyr growled.

Geist growled and fired the Impact Cannon, sniggering despite himself at how the Gairyuki leapt to the side quickly to avoid the heavy shells. Still, he agreed with his master. Both the Strike Laser Claw and the Vulcan, both of the Fox's main weapons, were completely useless against the Gairyuki. And then there was-

"Geist, watch it!" Zephyr yelled.

The Fox snapped out of his thoughts just in time to leap to the side, avoiding being rammed by the Gekkou. The Horseshoe Crab rotated in place and opened fire with the machine guns, raking the Fox with fire. Geist growled and opened fire with the Impact Cannon, scoring a glancing blow and unbalancing the BLOX. Before the Fox could capitalize on the vulnerability, the Hien screamed in an raked its back with fire from its vulcans, forcing the Fox to seek cover from the aerial BLOX. But the Gairyuki wasn't complacent, and it charged the Fox, clamping its jaws around the Fox's Vulcan. Geist fought to get away, and his claws raked the exposed under armor of the Gairyuki. The Zoid growled and tugged, ripping the Vulcan off the Shadow Fox, base and all. Geist screamed and the Gairyuki shoulder checked him, knocking him away. The BLOX armor rejoined with the Gairyuki's body and the Zoid stalked toward the downed Fox. Geist whimpered pitifully, trying to get away lamely on a broken leg. He waited desperately for his master to give him a command, to come up with a plan.

But the only sounds from the cockpit were the constant drip of blood on the dash.

A/N: GASP! Did Zephyr just lose! Yep. Because even if I abhor the "Ultimate Zoid" cliche, its a fucking Gairyuki. Not only is this thing a walking gang-bang, but it has plates that absorb energy weapons, which the Fox uses in abundance. Not only that, but the Gairyuki is awesome. I loves the Gairyuki, I want an HMM of it, complete with BLOX armor. And yes, before any of you ask, the BLOX armor repairs itself just like any other BLOX, but the main Zoid does NOT. No, as I said before there will be NO Fuzors. Fuck Fuzors.

On another note, Audrey just killed something, yay! Don't screw with Audrey, she'll melt your face off. And did'ja love how I teased you with Banshee Hunter action? Ha!


	37. Chapter 36

Chapter 36

Shadow: If I killed Zephyr, I wouldn't really have a story, would I? And that König doesn't have character, it has a Zoid arm sized hole in its side, if you'll remember.

Crypto: Actually, I can think of several Zoids more dangerous than a Gairyuki. And remember that its not just the Zoid, its also the pilot you must fear. Going by pure statistics the Shadow Fox really doesn't have much chance against several of he Zoids I've already killed with it.

NeoAurora: Thanks! I try really, really hard to make them as violent and crunchy as I possibly can. Makes up for the fact that my fluff sucks.

* * *

The first sound he heard was the laughter. It was faint, coming from a distance, but it slowly got louder. With a groan, Zephyr opened his eyes, cursing at the pain in his head. He panicked briefly when the right side of vision remained dark before realizing he had a pack of gauze over that eye. He touched it gingerly, hissing when pain ripped through his head. Only then did he realize that he was in a bed, and a soft one at that.

"What the fuck..." he wondered, looking around.

The first thing that struck him was the color on the walls. Pink. Definitely not a boys room, so that ruled out many of his friends. It also ruled out the Royal Family, they all had some kind of aversion to the color. The room wasn't overly luxurious, but all the furniture looked expensive and well made none-the-less. He slowly got out of the bed, moving to a mirror on the wall. He winced when he saw his reflection, his right eye and forehead were wrapped tightly in bandages. His white hair was dyed with streaks of red, clearly his rescuers had deemed medical attention more important then cleaning him up. He checked his teeth, grinning happily when he saw all of them were still in place. Still, he'd be lucky if he got away with a scar. He shrugged, it wouldn't be his first and probably not his last.

"I need a drink," Zephyr sighed.

A soft knock at the door returned him to his senses, and he was immediately on the alert. Slowly his hand moved to his knife, only to find his sheathe empty. He suppressed a growl, he was still dangerous with his hands. The door opened slowly and Zephyr settled into a ready position. And deflated when he saw the girl who poked her head around the door, magenta eyes sparkling.

"Aren't you a lucky one, huh?" Anya chirped and moved into the room, "You went and took some nasty hits, y'know?"

Zephyr chuckled, "Well no one told me going across the border would be such a problem."

"Yeah, Al's kinda a dick about it too, huh?"

"Al?"

"Alphonse, the pilot of the Gairyuki that nearly took your head off."

Zephyr settled back on the bed, giving Anya a look when she plopped down next to him.

"Awfully comfortable, arent'cha?" he said dryly.

"Hey, this is my damn room," she said indignantly, "I can be as comfortable as I want."

This new information interested Zephyr greatly, and he took a closer look around.

"No pictures," he noted idly, "Nothing really in the way of decoration. Good quality stuff, but not really ornate. Wood, not a spot of metal."

"Is that weird?" Anya cocked her head to the side.

In response, Zephyr just lifted his medallion and snorted. Even in the Republic, they should still recognize the sigil. She nodded, though he noted a lack of comprehension in her eyes. So she didn't know about the medallion.

"Very interesting," Zephyr said under his breathe. Out loud he said, "So how long have I been here?"

"What, no thank you?" she said with a huff. At Zephyr's blank look, she sighed, "Fine, fine. Be a jerk about it. You've been here about two days."

Zephy paled at that. Audrey was going to kill him when he got back. That train of thought led to him leaping to his feet, half-scaring Anya to death.

"Where is Geist?" he demanded.

"Er, Geist?" Anya asked, clueless.

"My Shadow Fox! Where is he!"

Anya was a little frightened by the intensity in his eyes. She had slipped into a defensive position without realizing it, and this made Zephyr even more tense. The two stood staring at each other, neither daring to move lest they provoke the other. Then, the laughter sounded again from the door just before a little girl burst through it.

"Mommy, mommy!" she giggled, "Play with me!"

Anya moved quickly scooping the girl up in her arms and giving her a tight hug. The girl laughed, her own sapphire eyes twinkling with childish innocence. Zephyr couldn't help but stare, there was no doubt that Anya was her mother. They both shared the same almost regal face, and the little girls hair was the same sheer white as her mothers. She seemed to notice Zephyr for the first time, and she stared at him with open curiosity.

"Mommy, who's that," she asked, never taking her eyes off Zephyr.

"This is Zephyr," Anya said softly as she set her down on the ground, "He's a friend of mine. Zephyr, this is Anna, my daughter."

Zephyr pushed Geist into the back of his mind for the moment, not an easy task to be sure. But he didn't want to scare the little girl, so he plastered a smile on is face and bent down to eye level.

"Hello, Anna," he said with false cheer, "It's very nice to meet you. I'm sorry to keep your mom from you, but could you give us a few minutes to talk?"

Anna nodded hesitantly, distrust in her eyes. She could tell his smile was fake, and she didn't like that. She slowly walked out the room, closing the door behind her. Anya dropped to the bed with a sigh as soon as the door clicked. Zephyr wasn't about to let her get off that easily, however.

"Now, about my Fox," he started again, "Where's Geist?"

Anya turned her head to glare at him, "You're a real asshole, you know that?"

"Agreed, you're not answering my question."

She threw her hands up in surrender, sitting up and growling at him, "Fine you fuckin' twit, I was hoping to get some lunch first, but since you insist, follow me."

She led him through the house, though he didn't truly look around. He was focused on Geist, who hadn't been taken care of in two whole days. Anya led him around to large hangar just behind the house. A Berserk Fuhrer growled at him as he burst through the door, but Zephyr gave it no mind, instead staring at the Zoid in the back.

"Geist..." he said, suddenly hoarse.

The Shadow Fox was a mess. The Vulcan lay off to one side, the barrels bent and breached and useless. The Fox's back was a sullied mass of craters and sparking internals, and the shoulders were twisted and broken in their sockets. The left front leg was broken and sitting at an impossible angle, while the others were stripped down to their bare structure. Not even Geist's head had gotten out unscathed, as the ears were both gone and the left eye torn out.

Zephyr couldn't take it. He sank to his knees, starting to sob. Something snapped, and he heard Anya rushing towards him as the floor rushed up to meet him. Then, nothing but welcome darkness.

* * *

Anya watched him sulk, no small amount of pity rising within her. She cared about her Zoids as well, but she had clearly underestimated just how much of a bond they had. It had been another two whole days since he'd blacked out in the hangar, and he was slowly but surely working his Zoid back into repair. She marveled at his skill, watching him work with the admittedly small number of tools she had, but still accomplishing things no Republican mechanic could. She wondered if that was thy the Empire was holding them back so well, that they didn't just repair their Zoids, they made them better than new. She watched as he struggled with a hand pulley, jockeying for position as he moved a heavy plate towards the Fox's paw. He had refused her help, and she hadn't offered again. His pride seemed to demand that he make it up to his friend, and she had watched him work himself to near exhaustion, often falling asleep wherever he stood for a scant few minutes before getting back to work. Finally, she had had enough.

"Alright you," she snatched his arm and began to haul him to the doors, "You need a good meal and a nights sleep, and I'll brook no arguments."

Zephyr didn't argue, just followed her silently. They entered the house and she dropped him into a seat at the table, placing a bowl of steaming stew in front of him before sitting down herself. Hesitantly, Zephyr began to eat, before remembering how hungry he was and wolfing it down. Anya chuckled and got him another bowl, which he also downed in record time. The third he decided to take his time with, and Anya sat down with him once more.

"I'm sorry for being an ass," he struggled around a bite, apologizing wasn't a strong suite of his.

"It's alright," she smiled, "I can see why you'd get worked up."

"So, Anna's what, four years old?" he tried to make small talk.

"In just over a week," she affirmed.

"You're a little young to have kids, aren't you?"

Anya chuckled ruefully and stared to the side, lost in thought. Zephyr didn't push the issue, smart enough to realize when something was a touchy subject.

"I was sixteen," she started quietly, "I was stupid, fell for the first guy that said he loved me. When he found out, he dumped me and disappeared."

"I'm sorry," Zephyr said quietly.

"Don't be, he may have been a colossal ass, but I've never regretted Anna. Not for a moment."

It was Zephyr's turn to chuckle, "I'm envious."

She regarded him quizzically and he explained, "I've no recollection of my birth parents, only my foster parents. And they weren't good people."

Anya didn't want to interrupt, something told her no one else had heard this information.

"My foster father started beating me when I was only three," he continued, staring into space, "And I mean beating me, broken bones and everything. Mum would just cry and say it was for my own good, the useless bitch."

"He gave me this when I was six," Zephyr stroked the scar on his neck, ear to ear, "He put a candle out on my back a year later. When I tried to run after that, he beat me so bad I couldn't get outta bed. When I got better, I ran."

"I'm so sorry," it was Anya's turn to whisper, "They shouldn't have been aloud to get away with that."

"They didn't," Zephyr said vaguely, but she sensed that he wouldn't elaborate.

He finished shortly after that, and Anya led him to a guest room. Too tired to do anything else, he collapsed onto the bed and fell asleep. His dreams were anything but pleasant.

A/N: Yeah, I know. I need outta the fluffy territory bad, but I'm afraid it may be a little while. Geist is due for another upgrade, and this one is a doozy. Also, because I finally freakin' found it, here's the scene in which Zephyr would have gotten his Organoid if I decided to give him one. This is also the scene I shall be using if I ever actually get a Organoid on my RP site. Yes I'm still harping about that, join and tell 'em Zephyr sent ya, you won't regret it!

* * *

Zephyr regarded the box with no small amount of trepidation. The delivery boy had dropped it off without telling him who it was from, and had been unusually quick in getting the hell outta dodge. It was big, whatever it was, in a wooden plank box. No markings on any of its sides to give him any clues, though he noted the heavy duty nails. That probably meant something valuable.

"Well," he turned to Audrey and shrugged, "No time like the present, eh?"

He grabbed a metal bar from the nearby trash pile and wedged it under the box's top before putting all his body weight into it. With a groan, the nails popped out, sending Zephyr to a heap on the ground. He brushed himself off as he stood, ignoring Audrey's sniggers. That had been too easy, like something had loosened the nails before hand. Cautiously, he walked up to the box and looked inside. And backpedaled quickly when four crimson eyes looked back.

With a savage growl, the beast broke out the box and shoulder-check Zephyr to the ground. Zephyr froze in his attempts to get up when two paws slammed down on either side of his head. He looked up into its eyes in wonder.

"An Organoid," he whispered, sincerely hoping it wouldn't eat him.

The Organoid glared down at him with crimson eyes. It was a hell hound, a monstrous, jet black two-headed wolf. Crimson fur bristled on its shoulders and down its back, covering a bushy tail. Zephyr noted with a stunned clarity that those bristles were needle sharp, and would probably hurt if he touched them carelessly. But his immediate attention fell to the massive teeth in its mouths. Thick drops of oil dripped from its maws like drool, and when one fell on his cheek he winced. It was scalding hot, but he dared no move. The outside face of each of its heads had a strange piece of armor on it, a bronzed plate that appeared to be bolted on. Its claws scraped the ground as it shifted slightly, moving in the sniff him experimentally. Zephyr knew at once that if this beast decided to eat him, there was nothing he could do about it. He spotted Audrey moving out the corner of his eye.

"Audrey, stay fucking still," he growled.

The Organoid leveled an eye with him, appearing puzzled. A spark of inspiration struck him, and Zephyr growled again. The look in its eyes confirmed his suspicions, and he pushed at its chest.

"Get offa me," he ordered, "Get off now."

It bared its fangs for but a moment before the look in Zephyrs eyes made it back down. It lowered its heads, submitting to the Zephyr as the Alpha. Carefully, Zephyr reached out and patted it on the head. The Organoid nuzzled his hand back, a fearsome looking puppy for all intents and purposes.

"I think I'll call you Kaiser," Zephyr chuckled, "Cause I wouldn't want to fuck with you."

Kaiser didn't answer, just butting his hand for more pets.


	38. Chapter 37

Chapter 37

Shadow: I have a strange feeling you'll like this chapter, for some reason...

Crypto: Remember that like poles of a magnet repel.

* * *

Zephyr awoke slowly, unwilling to do anything but lie in bed. The sun had risen, and was making its unwanted presence known through the open blinds. Zephyr caught himself devising a way to fix that problem permanently, the Guild Master had told him that would be a bad idea. The white haired mercenary grumbled, forcing himself out of the bed and onto his feet. He stretched with a groan, a series of sharp cracks sounding as his vertebrae snapped back into place.

"A tad soft for my taste," he muttered absently before heading out the door.

He wandered into the kitchen to find his hostess and her daughter making breakfast. Or at least trying to, they seemed to be playing more than cooking. Anna was covered head to toe in flour, and Anya wasn't much better off. She saw him out the corner of her eye and fixed him with a bright smile.

"Hey, I was just about to send Anna to get your lazy butt outta bed," she teased, "I'm making pancakes, you hungry?"

Zephyr nodded, "Are you making them or wearing them?"

She stuck her tongue out indignantly, throwing a spoonful of flower at him, which he neatly sidestepped.

"You're no fun," she pouted.

Zephyr sighed. He could tell this was going to be a long day.

* * *

It had been another ten minutes before she had actually decided to make breakfast, only to discover she'd used all the flower playing with Anna. Zephyr had stepped in at that point and made them all omelets, finishing his quickly and excusing himself as politely as he could. The Fuhrer growled at him as he entered the hangar, a greeting this time rather than a challenge. He waved to it absently as he stepped up to Geist. He hadn't started Geist back up since the Gairyuki had used him for a chew toy, he wasn't sure how much pain the Fox would be in if he started him up while repairs were still incomplete. This made it more challenging, as Zephyr traditionally relied on the Fox to tell him where there were issues, but he was adapting.

"Heads up," Anya's voice echoed from behind him.

He turned quickly, catching the helmet before it smacked him in the face. He cocked an eyebrow, silently asking.

"We're going into town," she explained, "You need a break from sulking and I need to get groceries and such. Anna will stay here with the Fuhrer, don't worry she won't bother Geist."

"That's all well and good," he said blankly, not willing to argue, "But what's the helmet for?"

Anya grinned and looked to the side, Zephyr following her gaze. And despite his dark mood, he couldn't help but grin.

* * *

The rolling plains were calm, undisturbed by anything but a soft breeze. That is, until the two Blitz Hornet's screamed past. Zephyr whooped, his melancholy temporarily forgotten as he opened up the throttle. The Blitz responded to his every shift, and he hugged the gently rolling hills as he sought more speed. He spotted Anya out the corner of his eye, taking the hills aggressively and keeping her speed near constant. Zephyr's natural competitive streak decided to surface then, and he started pushing the Hornet harder, seeking even more speed. It was like that the whole way to town, and in the end neither one of them could agree on who won.

Zephyr looked around the town with interest. It was much like the first one he'd seen, except the houses were made of wood instead being built into the hills. If it weren't for the mood of the people and the material they build everything out of, he could've been in an oasis town. Though it was still far too green for his liking, sand was easier to deal with than dirt. He noticed the Anya wasn't heading towards where the merchants were hawking their wares, instead heading further into town.

"Where are we going?" he asked.

"Somewhere to cheer you up, groceries can wait," she said simply.

They came upon a massive arena, the sounds of violent battle echoing from within. Zephyr looked around with interest as they walked through the corridors to the the seating areas. They entered just in time to see a König Wolf slam its paw into a Rev Raptor's head, severing it and sending it sailing into the arena wall. A second Raptor lay already slain in the center of the arena, the König's Dual Sniper Rifles embedded in its stomach and propping it up in the dirt. The audience cheered aloud as the Wolf howled before stalking back into the arena hangar.

"You brought me to a Zoid battle?" Zephyr asked incredulously.

"What better way to cheer a pilot up than watching a Zoid battle?" Anya reasoned.

He couldn't help but chuckle at her logic as they found a seat. The next battle was announced, not the Zephyr could hear anything over the crowd. By their reaction it was gonna be a good one. The doors at either end of the arena opened, and the opponents stepped out.

"Oh this is gonna be good," Anya laughed.

Zephyr nodded in agreement as he watched the two face off. A Genosaurer and a Blade Liger, one of the oldest rivalries in Zoid history. Two Zoids that complemented each other perfectly while at the same time contrasting violently. This was gonna be messy, and it was gonna get there fast.

The buzzer sounded and the Zoids moved quickly. The Liger wasted no time dropping its blade into the ready position, deadly energies playing along the blade as the Liger charged. But the Genosaurer was smarter than that, flaring its boosters and keeping the Liger at range while it pelted the cat with fire from its powerful set of guns. The Liger wasn't having any of this, and the booster roared to life. The Genosaurer threw itself to the side, the blade digging a shallow furrow in its leg armor. The Tyrannosaur hissed in rage before throwing itself at the Liger. Now it was the Ligers turn to play keep away, firing its own guns at the Geno and scoring a score of wicked hits. But it wasn't getting away unscathed, the mane sparked and the Liger's head jerked as a shot slammed into a shield generator. The pilot snapped the remaining generators on, taking the time to reevaluate his opponent. His opponent, who was in long standing Genosaurer tradition, not standing idly by. The Genosaurer continued to pound away at the Liger with its guns, the shield cracking rapidly under the onslaught. A round smashed through and blew one of the Zoids teeth out, and the pilot decided to act.

The blades clicked back into place and charged with energy once again. The Liger flew forward once more, the pilot choosing to use the boosters form the start this time. The Genosaurer stood in place, ready for the oncoming charge. Then the Liger twisted, presenting itself side on to the Genosaurer, its momentum sending it sliding towards it. The booster pivoted and added its thrust, and the Liger slammed into the Genosaurer side on, a good length of the blade piercing through its back. The crowd went nuts, chanting what Zephyr assumed to be the Blade Liger's pilot's name.

"He got him," Anya sighed.

"Not quite," Zephyr grinned.

The crowd gave collective gasp of disbelief as the Genosaurer shifted, showing his cunning ruse. The Tyrannosaur has sidestepped at the last minute, the blade only cutting through the outer layer of its armor. The Geno grabbed hold of the blade's mount and twisted sharply. The Liger's very position gave it the leverage it needed, and the blade snapped off cleanly, still embedded in the Geno's armor. This also meant the Blade Liger was free, and it wasted no time in turning to run. But the Genosaurer wasn't done yet, using its boosters to spin impossibly fast and slam its heavy tail into the Blade Liger's back legs. The Liger slammed into the ground and the Genosaurer was on it not a moment later. The other blade's mount was in its grasp a moment later, a twist and a pull removing it from the Blade Liger. It held it in its hands like a sword, making a few experimental swings before jetting backwards on its boosters to avoid a claw swipe from the wounded cat. The Genosaurer held the blade out before him, pointing it squarely at the Liger, and charged. The Liger started to the side, suddenly falling once again, sparks exploding from its stabilizer caps. The slam had damaged them, and now it would pay for it. The Genosaurer made a slam of its own, pushing the Blade Liger's own blade into and through both its hips. The Liger yowled in pain as the Geno roared its victory. The Liger's pilot signaled his defeat, there was no way he could win crippled like that.

"Knew it," Zephyr chuckled, "Always liked the Genosaurer over the Blade Liger."

"Yet you pilot a Shadow Fox...," Anya deadpanned.

"Well, Fox beats both of them then, doesn't it?" he grinned.

Anya just laughed at him, happy he wasn't sulking.

* * *

Zephyr stepped back and wiped his brow, exhausted. But it was finally finished. The Shadow Fox stood tall on its platform, armor gleaming in the light. And armored it was, the Fox fitted with a new suit of reinforced plating. It would increase the weight a bit, but with the Fox's already enhanced drive system it shouldn't be a problem. Two plates of armor were fitted over the Fox's front claws, the wicked sharp edges giving them a need boost in penetrating power. Not willing to wait any longer, Zephyr hit a toggle on a control in front of him, sending a jolt through the platform to jump start Geist. The Zoid shook as the energy coursed up it, the eye's blazing to life an instant later. The Fox took a moment to get its bearings before settling its sight on Zephyr. And worry Zephyr had about Geist dissolved as the Fox knelt down and nuzzled him.

"Welcome back, Geist," Zephyr chuckled.

* * *

A/N: Before anyone says it, YES that's what I think should have happened in Chaotic Century. The Genosaurer is more manueverable, heavier armored, and heavier armed. Raven pussy footed around just outright demolishing Van, and that pissed me off. ANYWAY! I've made a rather heavy upgrade to Geist, with some heavy armor and a pair of armor-piercing brass knuckles. Yeah, I'm starting to get serious. In fact, you could say that the Shadow Fox is becoming something more...


	39. Chapter 38

Chapter 38

Shadow: That idea is not actually my own, but belongs to a pilot on my RP site. He's an evil, evil bastard.

Crypto: And now you get to see

Special thanks to Renji55 and Bluetegu, hope to hear from you soon!

* * *

"So, how did I get here anyway?" Zephyr asked.

Anya looked up from her plate, startled. It had been a whole day since Geist had started up, and they had just sat down to have some lunch. Anna looked at the both of them quizzically before going back to her food with a shrug. She had gotten used to the weird dynamic between the two of them, and Geist had taken an immediate shine to her.

"Where did that come from?" Anya asked once she had recovered.

"Well, a lot of stuff has been happening lately," Zephyr shrugged, "I've had my focus elsewhere, now that I actually have a clear head I don't seem to recall asking you why the Gairyuki didn't just kill me."

Anya stared at him for a little while before speaking, "Anna, go upstairs."

The little girl looked at Zephyr worriedly before running upstairs. She knew to listen when Anya used that tone. Zephyr was unsettled himself, wondering why she would have to send Anna away just to tell him. She took a deep breath before looking him dead in the eye.

"I ordered the man who took you down to let you go," she said simply, "I'm his senior in the Republican Guard."

"I see, well lucky break for me, huh?" Zephyr chuckled.

"I know who you are," she said flatly.

"Well yeah," Zephyr started, a little put off, "I've been here-"

"You know what I mean," she cut him off sharply, "I know what happened at Camp 35."

Zephyr went rigid, then relaxed. He knew she was a soldier, but if she wanted to kill him she would've done it by now. The fact that she was still just sitting there, her gun securely in its holster, let him know that something else was happening.

"And?" Zephyr replied, "What're you gonna do about that?"

"First, don't get defensive," she growled, "This isn't an inquiry, and I'm your friend, dammit. Second, I've been authorized to pardon you."

"If?"

"If you agree to conscript into the Republican Military for a minimum of six years."

"Fuck. That."

"Here me out," she reasoned, "I've got pull, I can get you a smaller sentence, along with a posting that you'll find more agreeable."

"Commando work?" he guessed dryly.

"I think we can both agree it suits you."

"Again, no."

She sighed irritably, "Dammit Zephyr! If you don't I have to detain you for sentencing. They'll kill you, don't you get that?"

It was Zephyr's turn to growl, "I get it just fine, but I'm not a fuckin' traitor. I'm a Maestro Mechanicus of the Machine Guild, an institution that has pledged loyalty to the Imperial crown since the country was fucking founded. I'm not about to turn my back on my oaths or the people I call friends."

"Aren't I your friend!" she stood and slammed her hands down on the table.

"Yes, and that's why I don't want this to happen!" he did the same.

The two of them glared at each other from across the table. It was Anya that backed down first, looking down sadly.

"...just get out," she whispered.

Zephyr hesitated, just a moment, before making his way to the door. He paused at the door, looking back to Anya. She was just standing there, gripping the back of her chair so hard her knuckles were white. He opened his mouth to apologize.

"Don't," she cut him off, "I'll give you a head start, but don't you dare apologize."

Zephyr left wordlessly, sprinting to the hangar. The Berserk Fuhrer growled at him as he stormed through the door, and he stumbled to a stop despite himself. The Fuhrer would be chasing him, there was no way he'd be able to outrun it. And forget outfighting it. Geist knew something was wrong and was at his side at once. But Zephyr was torn, he tugged at his hair in exasperation.

"What do I do..." he muttered.

* * *

Audrey slid down in her seat. She wasn't relaxing, oh no, she was trying to hide. The Raynos circling overhead was getting a little close for comfort, and she had a funny feeling she knew the pilot. Sure enough, the moment it touched down next to the Grastav, she spied a blue haired midget jumping down from the cockpit.

"Why me," she groaned.

She didn't even budge when Tear peered through the window, cheering when she saw Audrey. When she tried to open the cockpit, however, Audrey quickly snapped on the locks, chuckling at the disappointed whine coming through the external receivers. Tears continued pleading, however, was a bit too much for her to stand.

"What do you want, Tear," she growled through the speakers.

"I wanted to see how you were doing," she whined, "I heard the Zephyr got stuck in the Republic."

Audrey sighed, "That's real sweet of yo- Wait, where did you hear about that?"

"Hm? I've got a friend in the Republican Guard, he said he took out a Shadow Fox that matched Geist's description."

Audrey's blood ran cold. It had well past the deadline he had set, but she had just figured he was running behind schedule. Or maybe he ran into trouble at the border.

"Yeah, but his boss told him to let him go," Tear continued, "Something about conscripting him for duty."

"Tear, shut up and get in that Raynos," Audrey ordered, "We're headed for the border."

As if summoned by this proclamation, the radio screamed to life, the receiver fighting for signal.

"Audrey, you there?" Zephyr's voice burst through the static, "Answer me dammit."

She punched her own coms on, "Zephyr? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, but not for long. Listen, I need you to head for the border, I'm coming in hot and I want some friendly guns when I get there."

"Alright but-"

"No time, gotta go!"

Audrey winced at the sudden scream that came through. She tried to convince herself it was interference. She tried really hard.

* * *

The Fuhrer screamed as it came in on Geist's flank, raking him with fire from its beam cannons. The Fox howled and brought its own Vulcan to bear, opening fire on the Fuhrer and growling when it's claw snapped open, deploying the directional shield. The shield couldn't stand up to the close range assault from the Vulcan, and was quickly torn apart along with the Buster Claw. It didn't slow the Fuhrer, and it slammed into the Fox hard, throwing Geist on its side.

"Well Zephyr," Anya laughed through his coms, "You brought this on, show me what you've got."

The Shadow Fox growled a challenge and threw itself forward, its claws glowing with the familiar murderous light. The guards slammed forward, adding their own edges to the swinging blow the Fox threw into the Fuhrer's shoulder. It screamed in pain as the Fox's blow tore through its armor, then it returned it with interest. Its jaws clamped onto the offending leg and tugged hard, unbalancing the Fox and bringing him in range of the Fuhrer's own claws, which began to glow with their own light. Geist screamed in pain as they shredded his shoulder armor. It moved in for the kill, when suddenly its left leg just gave out and the Fuhrer dropped to the ground roaring.

"You fucking..." she bitched, "You sabotaged my Zoid!"

"Sorry babe," he sniggered, "I'm not one to give up an advantage."

"You fucking bastard!"

Zephyr didn't stop, and Geist quickly made a beeline for the border. He could just see the Spectre circling, along with a familiar looking Raynos. The Grastav came into view soon after, and Geist howled happily. The Berserk Fuhrer's screaming never died down, and they could hear it even after they crossed the border. It wasn't in his nature to regret a decision, but Zephyr found himself wondering if he had chosen the right side on this conflict. He shrugged, it always ended up working out in the end, why start worrying now.

* * *

A/N: Yeah, things are starting to get heavy. Zoids are going to get hurt, and if I have my way, a lot of them. Look forward to it.


	40. Chapter 39

Chapter 39

A/N: Shorter than normal, I'm in a mood.

Shadow: Glad to oblige

Crypto: At close range, like REALLY close range. And as I've already shown, I hate shields. Don't worry, the Fuhrer will not go down like a bitch again.

random: Hehe, good to see the spree return. And I haven't started on the arc yet, I actually don't write ANY of this in advance. I just kinda let the story flow. I do have a vague idea of the next big arc, which is why I asked for the characters. I do have a few, but feel free to send me some, variety is the spice of life afterall.

romanceisboring: Those are the only two words you needed.

* * *

"So..." Audrey started, then stopped.

It had been a whole week since Zephyr had returned from his job across the border. Normally, he'd be bragging to Audrey on how he'd taken out a whole Republican base on his own. Instead, she'd heard absolutely nothing about it. He was hiding something from her, she just knew it. But what? She looked over at him, siting in the seat beside her, lost in thought.

"Well, I've got a couple of jobs lined up," she hummed happily, "Want to take a look?"

Zephyr started, looking over at her as if shocked. He snapped out of it quickly, but the moment was telling. She pushed it back, Zephyr would only push back if she pushed for information. She watched him look through the jobs, much of his old enthusiasm gone. He should've been grinning like a fool, making snide comments about the jobs he disliked. Instead, he paged through them slowly, carefully reading each one. She watched him consider jobs that just a week ago he would've tossed aside carelessly, wanting something with more excitement. Something had changed him on that mission, and she didn't like it.

"This one looks good," he said absently, handing her the sheet.

She looked over it and nearly sighed in relief. A good old fasioned high pay, high danger job. So at least some of the old Zephyr was still fighting for life. She looked at the location and blanched.

"Uh, Zephyr," she said, "This is on the other side of the country, and they want us there in a week..."

"I know, I figured I can take Luft and you can meet us there," he explained.

Even his voice is colder, she thought. But she couldn't argue with his logic, if he headed out immediately, he could get there in a few days, while it would take her upwards of a week to get there. This would give him time to check on the situation and gather intel to be ready when she arrived with the Zoids.

"Alright?" he started to climb out the cockpit, "I'll get a head start, you get there whenever you can."

"Ah, wait!" she exclaimed and grabbed his sleeve.

"Hm?" he arched a brow at her.

"Are you...," she said hesitantly, "Are you okay?"

He gave her a peculiar look. There was a spark of the old Zephyr at first, an irritated flash in his eyes, before a softer gaze replaced it. He just smiled at her, and she released his sleeve shocked. The cockpit window lowered after he hopped out, and Audrey tucked her knees up under her chin. She hugged herself tightly, tears brimming in the corner of her eyes. Her friend was in pain, she was sure of it, and he was determined to keep her out of it. If he had lashed out at her like he used to, at least she might've been able to knock some sense into him. Instead, he was shutting himself in. And it was killing her.

* * *

Zephyr sighed as he lay back in his seat. He'd gotten much more comfortable in the air, though Luft was an admittedly easy ride. He wasn't certain he'd be nearly as comfortable in a Raynos or other air superiority fighter. Luft banked lazily through the air, grumbling contently as his master left the flying to him. Recent experience had tempered the bloodthirsty predator, and he was much more laid back, content to simply soar through the air with his owner. The Zoid wondered if the same had happened to Zephyr.

"I don't know, bud," Zephyr muttered absently, "I don't know what to do about this mess."

Luftjager pondered his words. He hadn't told anyone about the mission, only Geist knew the details, and the Fox was always somewhat aloof and distant. From his words and tone, something was bothering his master, and this didn't sit well with the Dragon. Luft made an abrupt move, spinning into a multitude of barrel rolls, chuckling at Zephyr's indignant shout. The Zoid steadied himself just as abruptly, upside down, and lazily clicked the safeties on its guns off.

"What're you..." Zephyr started before a blip on the radar distracted him.

A quartet of contacts were below, their IR signatures bright against even the sun-baked earth of the badlands. A trio of Death Rasers, escorting a lone Gojulas. Or so it appeared. As Zephyr looked closer, he noted cold spikes along its jaws, and over each claw.

"Restraints...," he muttered, "And it doesn't look happy."

Luft hummed, rotating upright and bringing himself into a pylon turn around the group, his guns idly cycling to each Raser in turn. The Zoid roared when Zephyr gave the order, not that it had to. Its guns did that for it.

The first Raser simply ceased to exist as all three barrels of the cannons fired at once, all three shells smashing into its torso and shattering the Zoid to pieces. The other two quickly ran, their melee specialist Zoids not able to return enough fire. But the Spectre cared not, switching targets almost lethargically while locking and firing missiles at the other. All eight missiles impacted and annihlated their target in a massive fireball in the same instant a brace of fire from the side mounted guns tore the last Death Raser to shreds. The Dragon made a few more lazy passes, the Gojulas looking back up at it. He watched as it strained against its restraints, the claw blocks snapping under the awesome strength of the Zoid. It reached up and tore its muzzle off and roared its appreciation to the Dragon. Luftjäger roared back and continued onward.

Zephyr smiled in his seat, "Thanks bud, I needed that."

The Dragon growled, happy it had helped his master.

* * *

The Dragon touched down easily just outside the town. Zephyr vaguely remembered it from a job before, a delivery. He'd saved them from some raving mad man in a Guysack, or was it a Cannon Tortoise? While his memories of the event were fuzzy, theirs were not, and they rushed to greet him. He let their gratitude slide off him like water off a duck, he was here for a job, nothing more. It was a simple job, really. That raving mad man had escaped from prison and stole a great sum of money. Instead of disappearing like a good thief, he'd hired a local band of ruffians to burn the place to the ground. In a spin of fate, the band had taken the money and decided to hold the town for ransom.

"They're coming tonight," the elder explained, "We tried to raise what they wanted, but we can't give them the money and survive another week."

"Well, they won't be a problem," Zephyr assured him, "I may not be able to take them all out tonight, but I will be able to drive them off. When my partner gets here with my other Zoids, I'll hunt them down and make sure they don't bother you again."

The elder looked a little off put by this. He looked at the young man before him, not much older than his own grandsons. His eyes were cold, they had the look of a man used to seeing and shedding blood. They were not eyes that someone that young should have. But they were desperate. The elder prayed that his gods would forgive him for further damning this young one's soul, making him spill more blood with his already blood soaked hands.

And that they would forgive him for sending him to his death.

A/N: And now we have some character crap. As you all well know, I don't like fluff. I want it gone. Unfortunately, Zephyr is going through a tough time, so the fluff will be popping up quite a bit... dammit.

And to everyone once again, join Zoids Wild Frontiers! We just finished a big event, I fought a Geno Breaker Psychosis with my Shadow Fox. I died epically. And we're always looking for people, so join and tell 'em Zephyr sent ya!


	41. Chapter 40

Chapter 40

A/N: I'M BAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!

Yes, I'm back, and better than ever. Fuck, it's been too damn long. Anyway, on to the story, since you've waited this long.

* * *

The group of brigands moved silently toward the town, two dozen strong. Their Great Saber's made quick work of the broken terrain, quickly making their way towards the village. The lead machine halted suddenly, nervous. The village was in plain sight, and they would be there within the hour. But something was wrong.

"Hey boss," another Great Saber pulled alongside he lead machine, "Where are all the lights? There isn't even a sentry."

The town was completely dark. Normally there would be at least a single Arosaurer on sentry duty, a nuisance at best given its amateur pilot. But even it was nowhere to be seen. The lead machine growled, it cared not for the situation, it only wanted to crush the village. It took a single step forward. And the world around it exploded.

"Damn," Zephyr grunted, "He had to move."

Luftjäger huffed its own annoyance and opened fire once more, the heavy shells slamming into the ground. The first salvo had just barely missed the Saber, the explosive shells smashing the rocks around it into sand. Now the Dragon opened fire in earnest, the heavy cannons and guns sending shells streaming down upon the bandit group. The Saber's broke and ran back, several of them stopping short and firing on the Dragon above.

Luftjäger laughed at their attempts, effortlessly weaving through their shelling. A few rounds smashed into the Dragon's armor, but that armor was heavy. It laughed at their attempts to break through it, and the Dragon's return fire laughed at them as well as it broke their armor into pieces and dug into internals. A Great Saber yowled as a shell shattered its shoulder and severed that leg. Another fell silently, a round slicing clean through its throat. Yet another screamed in pain as it took a high-explosive round in the stomach, splitting that armor open and spilling its internal parts like a man gutted.

The Dragon ceased fire and watched the remaining Sabers flee, the lead machine among them. A full half their number lay dead and dying in the field, no longer a threat to the village. The Dragon huffed, it had thought to get more than that. Zephyr chuckled at its annoyance, knowing that tomorrow would bring more for the Dragon to play with.

* * *

A celebration was in happening when Zephyr awoke the next day. It was noon already, and the party was in full swing, music and dancing and food everywhere. He'd fallen asleep in Luftjäger's cockpit, and he looked down with some annoyance as the revelers danced around the Spectre Dragon's feet. The Dragon itself looked around with amusement, it had never seen a people so lively after a little skirmish. It did sense its pilot's annoyance, however, and growled a warning, clearing out the area in short order.

"Thanks bud," Zephyr patted the dash, "Now let's see about those damages."

They weren't as bad as they'd felt in the air. One or two had managed to penetrate, barely, but the range and the thickness of the Dragon's armor had not worked in their favor. A little more time and maybe they'd have done something worth talking about, but as it was he didn't even need to patch the armor.

"Not bad, bud," he grinned, "We sure taught them a thing or two, didn't we?"

The Dragon growled in annoyance, he wanted to chase them down and kill them all. But Zephyr was adamant, he wanted to wait until Audrey arrived. It wasn't like him to be this cautious, especially in a situation where caution should not even be necessary. But he would not argue with him. Because he knew there was no arguing with Zephyr when he thought he was right.

"Right, then all that's left is waiting for Audrey, eh?" he looked up at his Dragon with a cocksure grin.

The Dragon could only shake its head and laugh. At least he was still enthusiastic.

* * *

Night had fallen once more, and Zephyr stood guard just outside the city. The Spectre growled as it swept its gaze back and forth, shifting ever so slightly. They had decided that the bandits would be expecting an aerial attack, and would think a grounded Dragon an easier target. Zephyr and Luftjäger aimed to show them the error of that train of thought.

"Almost time for them to show," Zephyr said mildly, checking the IR Scopes.

Luft growled, chambering shells and loosening up his bio-mechanical muscles. The Great Sabre's were faster and they outnumbered him. But the Dragon was stronger and outgunned them all, and he was confident his master was more skilled then them all. The Dragon readied itself for combat. The roars from the distance made the Dragon rear up in excitement.

"Luft, move!" Zephyr shouted as he yanked the controls to the side.

Zephyr's knowledge of Zoids and their weapons saved them both. The roars weren't the roars of Tigers, but the firing of mortars. Said mortars slammed into the space occupied by the Spectre just a moment before. The shrapnel tore through the Spectre's right wing, drawing a scream of rage from the proud Dragon.

"Fuckers knew we were on the ground," Zephyr spat, "And that was aimed artillery too, they've got a spotter. Find him, Luft."

Luftjäger growled low, his optics flashing as he switched to infrared. Almost instantly, the silhouette of the Shadow Fox appeared just before the Dragon. Both Zephyr and Luft felt a small twinge of guilt as they opened fire on the Fox. It yelped loudly as the heavy shells tore through it, beginning to move away before another round crushed through its heart. The Great Sabres began moving as soon as it fell.

"Well, it seems we got their attention," Zephyr chuckled, "Time to bring them in."

The Great Sabre's yowled as they came in, opening fire on the Dragon. The Dragon responded in kind, roaring loudly as it opened up with its compliment of heavy guns. The cannon shells tore through the first Sabre, the repeating cannons chewing up another. The Dragon's missiles fired on another, then it rounded on the final three.

"Alright kitty cats," he mocked over the external speakers, "Let's play."

The Dragon lunged for the first, turning itself to present its shoulder for a full on bull rush. The Sabre yowled as the heavily armored Dragon rammed it, then it yowled all the more when the Dragon's energized fangs bit into its belly and tore it out, a gout of energized plasma filling it to the brim and melting it from the inside. The others opened fire on the beast before them, not willing to close with such a dangerous foe, not yet. The Dragon cared not, the cannons rotating tearing a second's head off with a single well placed shot. The final Great Sabre and the Spectre squared off, the two Zoids growling and posturing, pawing the ground and ready to kill.

"Alright kiddo," a raspy voice sounded over the coms, "Let's see what you can do."

Zephyr growled in rage, sending the Dragon forward with its jaws open wide. Deadly energies played through its fangs as the Dragon prepared to tear the Sabre in half. The Sabre's pilot smirked and threw his Zoid to the side, skidding into a small spin to bring his Great Saber around facing the Dragon's right side. He lunged forward, the Saber's fangs ripping and tearing into the Spectre's front right leg. The Dragon howled in pain as it batted the Zoid away, but the damage had been done, and the leg tore away with the Sabre. Zephyr opened fire with the cannons, glaring at the Great Sabre when it hopped away from the cluster of shells and returned fire quickly, tearing the cannon array apart with well placed shots.

"Now then," the Sabre pilot mocked, "Time to finish this, I'd say."

The Sabre lunged and buried its fangs in the Dragon's throat, eliciting a feral scream from the Dragon. Zephyr didn't think, he just moved. The wings may be ruined, but the Magnesser engines still worked. He powered them up to full and threw the Dragon into a forward lunge, tearing the Sabre from the Dragon's throat. Just as quickly it spun, digging claws into the loose ground and lunged again, slamming into the Sabre's chest with all its weight and speed behind its fully energized teeth. It crushed through armor, structure, and internals in a one way trip to the Great Sabre's core, and crushed it. The Zoid fell, dead, and the Spectre fell a moment later, severely wounded. Zephyr fell back in his seat, grinning like a fool.

"How's that, asshole," he laughed.

* * *

A/N: The reason for the delay... there isn't one really, I just didn't write. Whoops. Anyway, we're gonna be getting into some heavy shit soon. Something is gonna happen, something bad, that's gonna kick start a shit-storm to rival the rise of the Geno Breaker in Guardian Force. Yeah, I'm gonna be killing people left and right, and the fluff? I actually see it disappearing for nearly ten chapters. Yes, I said that. Ten chapters of blood, guts, and metallic mayhem. So get ready, boys and girls, cause it's coming. And once it gets here, there will be no stopping it.


	42. Chapter 41

Chapter 41

Crypto: Was a typo, fixed now. Thank you for pointing it out.

"Alright, so let's see about those wings," Zephyr muttered irritably, "Fucking mortars."

The Dragon grumbled and turned its head, unwilling to look at him while he inspected the Dragon. The wings were in shambles, the right wing wasn't even really there. Just jagged scraps remained, the harsh maneuvers having sheared the remains off at some point in the fight. The left wing wasn't much better, though it was at least mostly intact. The neck though...

"Damn," Zephyr whistled, "We were lucky as hell."

The neck was torn wide, a huge open wound with the spinal column completely exposed. A pair of furrows in the column showed just how close they had come to death. The Zoid's heavy head was actually pulling at it, and Zephyr quickly gestured for Luft to lower himself down onto the trailer before he snapped it. It would take weeks before he was up and running, and Zephyr didn't have the equipment to start the repairs, not here. They would need to return to the Guild, posthaste.

"Mr. Pilot," a woman's voice sounded behind him.

Zephyr turned to regard the speaker. She was older than him, with short blonde hair. Her eyes were cerulean blue, and they regarded him with open curiosity. And familiarity. It was the second that gave him pause, but try as he might, he couldn't place her. That worried him.

"Yes?" he responded, still trying to remember if he'd seen her.

"You're transport just arrived," she told him, gesturing to the entrance of the village, "And the chief has your money as well."

"Oh, awesome," he grinned, "Thanks for letting me know."

"Will you," she hesitated, "Will you be leaving immediately?"

Zephyr gestured towards Luft, "Yeah, I'm gonna hafta take him back to base, don't have the tools to fix him here."

"I see..."

Zephyr nodded to her before making his way towards the village entry way. The woman just stood there, watching him. She was sure of it no, the way his eyes looked hadn't changed overmuch in all these years. She still remember the first time she stared into them, witnessed that depth that was all too much for his age.

"Max..." she whispered as she watched him go.

The Gustav trudged on, back to the Machine Guild. They had taken in quite a haul, the elders had been very gracious. Audrey was humming a happy tune while Zephyr dozed beside her. She glanced over at him, happy he'd shed some of his melancholy. It had started to irritate her. And despite what others may think, she didn't really enjoy hitting him that much.

"It's good to have you back," she reached over and ruffled his hair, "At least, if only a little bit."

Zephyr shifted in his sleep, muttering softly about something. She smiled, looking back to the road. And slammed on the brakes.

"Zephyr!" she screamed, "Wake up, wake up now!"

He was up in an instant, looking out the cockpit window.

"Fuck me," he growled, "Audrey, hard right!"

Audrey threw herself to the right, pulling the controls with her. The Grastav banked hard, taking the Charged Particle blast in the side. The Grastav's heavy armor held fast, and Zephyr was out of the cockpit in a flash, hauling himself into Geist's waiting cockpit. The Fox ripped itself free from the tie downs and tore off, sending fire downrange towards the Genosaurer. The Genosaurer roared a challenge and thundered in towards the Fox, opening fire with its own heavy cannons. The first rounds slammed into the Fox, but its reinforced armor held. For now. Zephyr threw the Zoid into evasive maneuvers, avoiding the continued shelling for the most part. The Genosaurer came in wide, abusing its ability to hover and the insane maneuverability that gave it.

"Fucking Genosaurers!" Zephyr shouted, "Enough with the goddamn Genosaurers!"

Geist yowled in agreement, moving to intercept the Genosaurer. They slammed into each other with the force of two glaciers, two unstoppable forces meeting head on. The Genosaurer roared and clamped its jaws onto one of the Fox's legs and heaved, hurling the Zoid to the side. Closer up, Zephyr noticed several modifications to this Genosaurer's frame. It was bulkier, and the had what looked like bundles of cable bulging around some of its body.

"Increased muscle mass," Zephyr muttered, "That's gonna be problematic."

Geist growled and launched himself forward again, the Knuckle Guards slamming into place as Geist swung a vicious haymaker at the Genosaurer's head. It took a step back quickly, avoiding the paw by a thin margin. It didn't give the Fox time to recover, boosting forward to slam bodily into the off-balance Zoid. Geist yelped as he was sent tumbling, quickly scrambling to his feet. But the Geno was on top of him, a foot slamming into Geist's face. The console exploded into sparks as the foot crunched the nose flat, and the Fox howled, only to take a right cross to the jaw. The Geno's enhanced muscles shattered the Fox's jaw and crumpled the side of its head. Geist slammed down to the ground, struggling weakly. Zephyr was slumped at the controls, unconscious. Even in this weakened state, Geist fought for his master, the Vulcan firing on the Genosaurer. But it came on, a claw wrapping around the gun and tearing it off. The Genosaurer raised a foot high, and slammed it down on the Shadow Fox's head. Geist's head crumpled, the entire side of his head crushed like a tin can. The Fox went still, the optics sputtering off, and the Genosaurer roared in triumph. Then it cast a contemptuous look at the Grastav before jetting away.

"Zephyr! Geist!" Audrey screamed, jumping out of the Grastav.

Knochen was right behind her, along with the Leoblaze. They had been tied down too securely to help, but now they stood guard around the fallen Fox as Audrey struggled to free Zephyr from the wreckage. She finally managed to pry open the cockpit enough to see inside. She gasped, tears flowing freely. Blood soaked the cockpit, and it flowed from Zephyr's mouth. She couldn't see his legs or his left arm, doubtless they had been crushed. But he was still breathing, and she needed to get him help. Fast. She rushed back to the Grastav and just started pleading for help on an open channel.

It was all she could do not to just break down and cry.

He saw a little boy playing. He was playing with a set of tools, taking apart a radio or something. He had it completely disassembled in a matter of a minute, and was just as quickly putting it back together, pausing to change out one part for another. As soon as he had finished, music blared from the speaker. The boy shouted with joy, picking it up and running over to a man sitting on the coach. He showed him the radio with pride, a bright smile on his face. The man got up from the coach and knelt in front of the boy.

And the man hit him, his fist slamming into the side of the boy's head. He cried out, dropping the radio and rolling into a ball as the man kept hitting him, shouting obscenities. A woman watched from the doorway, silent tears running down her face. And through it all, the boy's blue eyes asked why he had to endure this.

The door slammed open as the stretcher was pushed through, doctors scrambling to get him to the OR. Zephyr wheezed, unconscious, as they sprinted through the hospital. Audrey's signal had been picked up by a patrol hunting the very same Genosaurer, and they had managed to get him to the hospital. He was in bad shape, his arms and legs crushed and mangled and his chest caved in. But he was stubbornly clinging to life, and they aimed to keep it that way.

In the waiting room, Audrey sat alone in a chair, awaiting some news of his condition. She could do nothing but wait. She was powerless. She barely acknowledged it when someone sat next to her and hugged her, telling her it would be alright. She didn't care who it was, she clung to them and cried.

He saw a boy and his mother, sitting in the kitchen. The boy asked why his father hit him so, and his mother replied that it was just his way. The boy's brow furrowed at that, and he asked why she didn't just tell him to stop. She smiled sadly, telling him it was just how it was, and that it was the price to pay for the shelter he provided. The little boy looked at his mother and asked her why it was that she couldn't provide for them. His mother sighed, saying that she was too weak to be any good at a job that would give them what they needed. The boy proudly proclaimed that he would get a job and protect them if she couldn't. The woman laughed softly, a sound that brought joy to the boy's face. She ruffled his snow white hair softly and told him that when he was older, he might just be able to.

"Doctor, heart rate is increasing," the nurse said urgently.

"We need to get him stabilized," the head surgeon told his team.

The OR was pristine, but not for long. His bloodied form was quickly lain out on the table, the remains of his clothes removed. The jacket he had been so proud of was in tatters, and his medallion had cracked in half.

"Alright," the surgeon proclaimed, "Let's get to it."

He saw the boy again, older this time. A scar on his throat stood out plainly, only recently healed. He was being beaten again, savagely. He had struck his father back, and he had responded by hitting him harder than he ever had before. The boy plead for his mother to help him, but she didn't she just told him to take it, to be strong. He watched the boys eyes dim, the love he held for his mother fading, replaced by the realization that she would not help him. The beating continued, he cried out as something broke inside him. But the man didn't care, he kept on hitting him. And the boy just kept crying.

"We're losing him!"

"Dammit, hold on!"

The boy again, just a little older. He saw him standing at the base of the steps of the home. Their was a sickly sweet smell in the air, and he looked up the stairs blankly. Through the window, he could see it was dark outside, not even the moon shone. The boy reached into his pocket, pulling out a match. He struck it quickly, staring into the flames intently. The fire burned down the match, singing his fingers. He dropped it then, staring as the fire caught the pool at his feet and raced up the stairs. He walked out of the house calmly as the fire consumed it. Never once did he look back. Not even when the screaming started. And not even when the screaming stopped.

Zephyr groaned miserably. Every part of him hurt, and he reached up to rub his head, yelping when his right hand twinged with pain. Slowly he opened his eyes, the light blinding him temporarily. In front of him stood Julia, who was smiling at him happily. She gestured to the other side of the bed and he looked. Audrey was silent, tears streaming down her face as she shook slightly.

"Sparks," he rasped.

As if the word was all she needed, she launched herself forward, wrapping her arms around him and squeezing. It hurt. It hurt like hell. But he didn't care, he needed it just as much as she did. He wrapped his arm around her, hugging her as tightly as he could.

"Welcome back," she managed between sobs.

"It's good to be home," he responded.

A/N: Yeah, this has been a long time coming. A fight that not only could he not win, but I fight he wouldn't be walking away from. Y'all can love or hate it, but it was going to happen. And it has happened.

Anyway, I'm going on vacation for a week, so you shouldn't expect any chapter until after the 15th. Bye!


	43. Chapter 42

Chapter 42

A/N: Well, its nice to see there was an appropriate response to last chapter. And yes, I did tear him up, didn't I? Hehe.

Zephyr sat in the hospital bed looking out the window, deep in thought. He looked down at his left hand. Or at least, where his left hand had been. The impact had completely destroyed his left forearm, turning it into hamburger. His legs hadn't been as bad, and he would regain the use of them with time and physical therapy. But without a hand, he'd never pilot a Zoid again. He looked back out the window, wondering why the thought didn't bother him as much as it should have. He should've been devastated, it was his livelihood and his passion. But he had grown to accept it.

"Have I really changed that much," he whispered, closing his eyes slowly.

His eyes. He opened them and looked into the small mirror they had left. He still couldn't quite get used to the sight. He had been clinically dead for far too long, the responders on the scene had been unable to revive him. But the knowledge of his identity and the medallion signifying his import to the Guild had spurred them on. They had authorized something that was used only incredibly rarely, a technology beyond even the Zoids.

"Reanimation," he muttered, "The Devil's Science."

Decried as an affront to the Goddess by the theocracy of Beal, Reanimation is the art of bringing back those who have been dead too long for the conventional methods to work. No one quite knows how it works, save the few who work on those machines and the Grand Maestro of the Machine Guild. What is known is that it can revive anyone who has died within twenty-four hours. Beyond that is the realm of the eternal. But with such a powerful device comes risks. If the person was heavily injured, their injuries may well kill them once they revive. And that is only if they revive, the process is very precise. The slightest change can cause it to fail catastrophically, and the body will be ruined, making it impossible to revive them.

But it isn't just the failures that have to deal with the risks, but the successes. The energies involved warp them, changing them. Some have their bodies warped into hideous caricatures of the human form. Others still go insane, unable to cope with what they saw in the beyond, or so the superstitious claim. But no one is unscathed.

"Heh, no one," Zephyr chuckled as he gazed into his reflection.

The reflection looked back at him, the same sure smirk and burning eyes. Except that his left eye was now a deep amber instead of the blue and green it had been. His hair had a tinge of gray to the white, though it was barely noticeable except around his bangs. He had been changed, though he was still easily recognizable. He wasn't really worried about his appearance, he'd never been much for preening himself in the mirror.

A soft knock brought him out of his silent reflection, and he stowed the mirror before buzzing the door open. Audrey walked in with a big smile and tray covered in food. Most of it of a decidedly carnivorous variety.

"I love you so much right now," Zephyr drooled as she set it down in front of him.

"Figures," she rolled her eyes, "Brought back from the dead and the first thing you want is a pile of meat."

Zephyr didn't answer, too busy shoveling food into his mouth. Audrey couldn't help but marvel at how quickly he adapted to only having one hand. She couldn't help but feel a twinge of pain at not being able to help him, to prevent it from happening. She started when he poked her in the leg, hard. When she looked up he was back to eating, though he glanced in her direction.

"Stop it," he said between bites, "Dwelling on 'ifs' won't do anything. What happens happens and there isn't a fucking thing we can do about it."

Audrey sighed, shaking her head. That was just like him.

Zephyr sat in his wheelchair and watched impassively as they worked on Geist. His entire team had come, with others in tow, to work on Geist.

"Geist," he muttered, "Never again, Geist."

The Shadow Fox had been simply destroyed. Its head was crushed near flat, a wound that was too grievous for any simple repair. The Machine Guild technicians scrambled over every inch, carefully taking the Shadow Fox apart. Every piece, every part was carefully taken off the Fox's frame and set aside.

"It's bad, sir," an initiate said, "The feedback from the injury... the core is basically inactive."

Zephyr nodded, he had expected as much. They would need to take Geist back to the Machine Guild in order to effect repairs. He wheeled his way back to the elevator, ready to get underway.

"I'll get you fixed up," he promised, "Better than new."

Zephyr sat in his seat, staring out the window. He'd been doing that a lot lately. The terrain cruised by at a steady pace, the Grastav eating the kilometers with ease. They weren't traveling alone this time, either. A full escort from the Machine Guild, a dozen Dos Godos units with an additional quartet of Crimson Horns. The Royal military wanted to add some additional units, but the Guild was adamant that they be the ones to escort their own back to their base.

"Do they do this for every Maestro?" Audrey asked, awed by the display.

"Nah," Zephyr said absently, "Just for me, I'm the first of the Guild to be reanimated I guess."

"Well, I think they're making a big deal about nothing, personally."

Zephyr gave her an incredulous look.

"I mean," she continued, "You're not much at all, are you? I wouldn't have given you a Molga, let alone this."

"Hey!" Zephyr shouted indignantly, "I'm damn important, I'll have you know!"

"Yeah, sure. But really, what have you done?"

"Now listen here, you little-"

Zephyr's rant was cut off when she started laughing. She just kept laughing and laughing, and he couldn't help but laugh with her. Pretty soon, they were both laughing so hard they cried.

Audrey wiped her eyes as she calmed down, "It's good to see you can still laugh."

"The hell does that mean?" he said irritably.

"I mean," she said softly, "You've been so distant since you came back from that mission. It worried me, I don't want you to change that much."

Zephyr sat in silence for a while, and they just let the scenery go by. He looked at her again, marveling at how strong she could be, at how much she trusted him. Would she be so trusting if he told her just how close he'd come to betraying her and everyone else? He sighed and turned to her.

"Sparks, I'm-" he began.

He never got to finish. The Grastav was rocked by the titanic impact, and Zephyr reflexively closed his eyes. Wet blossomed on his face, and he slowly opened them. And then he yelled, jumping back in his seat. Audrey, from the waist up, was gone. Blood coated every surface of the Grastav, a massive hole through the windshield and the seat she had been in. He looked down at his hands, shaking uncontrollably. He was covered in gore, and he screamed. The Guild guards hauled him out of the Grastav, still screaming. A sharp pain in his neck, and then he saw nothing.

Six Months Later

The pack of Republican Konig Wolves moved slowly, making their way carefully through the desolate wasteland that was the Kaylear Empire. The lead Wolf paused momentarily, sniffing the air, before making its way again, leading them into a crag. The lights of an Imperial town were soon in view.

"There it is, Cap'n," a voice crackled over the com, "Yerse. We gonna burn it down?"

"That's the plan," a gruff voice responded, "All units, move out-"

A storm of fire tore the Konig Wolf's head from its shoulders. The Wolves scrambled as more shots rang out, the sounds coming from everywhere. They heard the footfalls of Zoids echoing from every corner, and the Wolves opened fire. A shadow slipped in with lightning speed, and a single shot rang out, a titanic bang that echoed like the thunder from heaven. A Wolf fell silently, its head and shoulders blown open. Another burst of rapid fire sent another to the ground, blood dripping from its torn open cockpit.

"Where the hell are they?" the final one shouted as he flipped down the visor.

Then he froze. The sound had stopped, and a Zoid had materialized in front of him on the IR scope. It's massive gun pointed squarely at the Konig Wolf's head.

"P-p-please, have mercy..." he whimpered on an open channel.

"There is no mercy for you," Zephyr said coldly.

The Fox growled and fired its main gun. The shot echoed all the way back to the town as it sent a huge shell tearing into the Wolf, turning its head inside out as it made its way to bump against the core. An instant later, the shell erupted, tearing the front of the Wolf apart. The Fox howled and sprinted off in the night.

Zephyr flexed his left hand. The prosthetic he had received gripped the controls with a strength beyond human muscles, the exposed pistons clicking as he flexed it again. He patted the Fox's dash, no sadistic mirth in his eyes.

"Good job," he grinned, "Geist."

And Geisterjäger howled.

A/N: First off, no magic to Reanimation, all technology. Second, OH SNAP did I just kill Audrey? And what's up with Geist? Well, you'll have to wait and see, cause I'm going on vacation for a week or so. As always, read, review, recycle, join ZWF, and all that jazz.

But seriously, join ZWF and tell 'em I sent you. You won't be disappointed.


	44. Chapter 43

Chapter 43

Shadow: How did I know you'd latch onto that...

Everyone else, the wait is over!

* * *

Zephyr knocked on the door loudly before opening it, not bothering to wait for an answer. The occupants looked up at him briefly before looking back to their maps.

"What did I tell you about waiting for someone to answer?" Helen said absently.

"And I believe I told you where you could shove that talk," Zephyr shot back with a growl.

She barely paid attention to the barb, she had long grown accustomed to his attitude. Julia, on the other hand, looked at him in shock. She was still growing used to this new Zephyr. Audrey's death had sounded the death toll for his old personality, that roguish mercenary with the best interests of the people around him, even if it was buried deep under a layer of materialism and sarcasm. But now, now he approached everything with bitterness, his sarcasm losing its joking tone to be replaced with a jaded edge. He was quicker to anger, and he was even quicker to insult anyone who so much as irritated him. And where before those insults would've been simple cracks to irritate them, now he truly sought to offend and to harm. He had become a lonesome mercenary who would gladly watch the world burn.

"How did it go?" Helen asked, still scanning the maps.

"Another pack of Wolves," he said simply, draining a bottle of water, "They're getting bolder, the filthy fuckers."

"Closer to town this time?"

"Close enough for those rifles, yeah."

A random soldier cleared his throat, "Was there any indication of their target?"

Zephyr gave him a blank look, "They were headed towards a populated area with enough ordinance to level the place. 'The fuck do you think their target was, dumbass."

The soldier turned bright red and sputtered before falling silent at a gesture from Helen. She gave Zephyr a reproachful look, to which he just grinned.

"So they're back to just burning villages to the ground," Zephyr remarked cheerily, "I guess there's no shortage of imagination on their end, hm?"

"Hm," Helen handed him a sheet of paper, "New contract."

Zephyr read it over quickly, a feral grin settling over his features.

"This is very unlike you, Ellie," he chuckled darkly, "I like it."

He signed the contract quickly and made his way out of the room. Helen barely looked up, concentrating on how she was going to win this war, while Julia couldn't help but follow him with her eyes.

"I miss the old Zephyr," she said glumly.

Helen sighed and straightened, "We all do, Julia. We all do."

* * *

Zephyr made his way into the hangar, shooting a short wave to a group of initiates working on some machine or another. He came to a stop infront of a Zoid. His Zoid. Gone were the blacks and golds of the Shadow Fox, replaced with bronze and red and brown. The Vulcan had been replaced by a much more fearsome weapon, a 200mm Drive Cannon with a coaxial machine gun. The Triple Shock Cannon on its chest gleamed in the low light, threatening to tear anything to pieces. It had ceased being a Shadow Fox some time ago, it had become a new beast entirely. It had become the Spirit Fox.

"We got us another job," Zephyr grinned, "You up for it, bud?"

Geist looked down at his master. So much had changed about him, but his devotion to his Zoids remained the same. The Fox looked over to the Grastav, this one a mass produced model. Zephyr couldn't bear the sight of the original, returning it to the Guild. Luft was gone as well, Zephyr had returned him to the Guild as well in order to aid them in mass production. Knochen hissed at a tech that was replacing one of his restraints, and the Leoblaze lazed on its trailer.

"I miss Luft too, bud," Zephyr said, following the Zoid's eyes, "Maybe we can pick him up soon. They should be nearly finished with the design stages."

The Fox yipped and opened the cockpit, waiting for his master to hop in. Zephyr just grinned.

* * *

The rolling hills were quiet before him. He recognized the town now, the first one he'd come to on his trip into Republican territory. The twin Sniper Masters hadn't seen him yet, the sophisticated stealth systems of the Spirit Fox blocking their high-powered sensor equipment. Not for long, though. Geist raced into the town, dodging small buildings with contemptuous ease. The first Snipe Master heard him and quickly swiveled to focus its scanners. Geist was on it in an instant, fangs tearing through its throat, the Fox's gun swiveling to fire a burst into the second one's chest a moment later. The sound woke the town, people rushing to find out what was happening.

"Alright Geist," Zephyr sighed, "Let's get to it."

The Fox leaped down among them, crushing several beneath its paws. The Drive Cannon swiveled and fired into the hill next to him, the high-explosive shell shattering the face of it a moment later. The screaming started in earnest then, and the Fox swiveled its gun around like a scythe, firing the machine gun and tearing the crowd to pieces. The Fox was methodical, sweeping back and forth. The Shock Cannons opened fire as well, the terrible energies they unleashed turning bodies to jelly. The Drive Cannon fired into another hillside home, and it erupted like a miniture volcano. The screaming intensified, and the Fox carried on.

* * *

Anya suppressed the urge to snarl at what she saw. There wasn't a single building still standing, and they couldn't step anywhere without getting blood on their shoes. The bodies littered the streets, torn asunder by heavy weapons. The buildings were much more telling, they appeared to have been blown from the inside.

"Some kind of commando squad?" she muttered, "No, there's only one set of tracks."

"Ma'am," a soldier ran up to her, "There have been no survivors found."

She nodded, she'd expected that much. This was an attack to slaughter as many as they could, a terror strike to instill fear in the populace. And it had been masterfully executed.

"I have a feeling we'll be seeing this guy again," she said with a grin, "I can't wait to meet him."

A/N: Yeah, who saw that coming? I did. And yes, Geist is no longer a Shadow Fox. Read the bio and weep my friends, read it and weep that this is not an actual Zoid.

Name: Spirit Fox

Family Vulpine

Height: 11.6 meters

Length: 24.6 meters

Weight: 76 tons

Top Speed: 295 kph

Weapons: AZ200 mm Drive Cannon, AZ40mm Coaxial Machine Gun, Triple Shock Cannon, AZ70mm Electromagnetic Net Gun, Strike Laser Claw, Hardened Alloy Claws and Teeth

Abilities: Smoke/Chaff Discharger, Multisensor, Echo System, Optical Camouflage

Class: Alpha

The Spirit Fox was developed by the Machine Guild as an enhancement of the venerable Shadow Fox for one of their members. Given newer and more powerful weapons, more advanced stealth options, and one of the most powerful sensor suites ever built, the Spirit Fox is a force to be reckoned with, and definitely not one to be taken lightly.

As with the Shadow Fox, the armor is relatively light for its class. So the solution is, of course, not to get hit, and with the agility this Zoid possesses, that should be no problem, being on par with the Slash Liger and Whitz Wolf. This is one zippy beast, darting in and out of enemy fire in order to bring it into range of its massive main gun. But of course, in order to shoot at the Fox, you'll have to find it first. The Spirit Fox is equipped with the latest in stealth technologies, namely the Echo System and Optical Camouflage. If that's not enough and it needs a more traditional distraction, the Smoke/Chaff Discharger is more than able to please.

But all the agility and stealth in the world mean nothing if it can't finish its opponents off, and in weaponry, the Spirit Fox does not disappoint. The AZ70mm Electromagnetic Net Gun and Strike Laser Claws remain from the Shadow Fox, with newcomers the AZ200mm Drive Cannon and AZ40mm Coaxial Machine Gun ready and waiting to prove themselves able contenders.

Weapons

AZ200mm Drive Cannon

The most immediately recognizable weapon on the Spirit Fox, this massive turreted gun appears an odd choice for a stealth Zoid. The Drive Cannon is a new innovation in weapon design, the Cannon actually utilizes a Pile Bunker-like piston to jettison the shell, with the propellant actually igniting halfway down the barrel. This increases the speed of the projectile immensely, shortening travel times and increasing damage. It does however take longer to fire each shot, as the piston must be put back into place. The Drive Cannon can rotate 90 degrees horizontally and 30 degrees vertically. It has an incredibly slow fire rate of 1 round every 10 seconds, and the Fox isn't fully capable of bracing itself from the massive recoil to make an accurate artillery platform, making the so-called "Bunker Buster" shells seem doomed to miss. So what's the willie Fox to do with such a weapon? Fire from point-blank range. Using the Fox's natural agility and stealth capabilities, the only choice is to get up close and personal with your opponent and pull the trigger, almost certainly causing massive damage.

AZ40mm Coaxial Machine Gun

Mounted on the left side of the Drive Cannon, ergo "Coaxial," the AZ40mm Coaxial Machine Gun the Fox's only real ranged weapon. Firing at a rate of 15 rounds per second, it'll chew any Zoid up pretty quick. And of course, since its mounted on the Cannon, it has the same rotational capabilities, so it has a pretty good firing arc. It also benefits from the cannons more stable platform, giving the Machine Gun a surprising amount of accuracy. Overall, an adequate ranged weapon for an overall close combat Zoid.

Triple Shock Cannon

Mounted on the Spirit Fox's chest is this triple-barreled 80mm cannon. Each barrel fires a single burst of energy per second, and is accurate out to 300 meters. These energy bursts are extremely good at destroying whatever they hit but they, unfortunately, have almost no penetrating power, annihilating the first thing they hit. Due to the Spirit Fox's gait and the special mounting this cannon is on, the Shock Cannon is fairly accurate even when the Fox is moving.

AZ70mm Electromagnetic Net Gun

The same overall weapon from the Shadow Fox. Located at the tip of the Fox's tail, this weapon fires a high-tensile carbon-steel fiber net, large enough to cover Zoids up to the same size as the Fox. This tangles the opponent in the net, and delivers an EM jolt to the Zoid, making it difficult to get out of; usually around two seconds of tearing with Alloy Claws/fangs. The net fires in a straight line from whichever direction the tail points, and as such it's limited to a 20 degree cone. The Fox carries only one shot, but it can be reloaded in the transport, if necessary.

Strike Laser Claw

This system charges the Spirit Fox's claws, enhancing its melee damage when it strikes an opponent, tearing quickly through armor and internals. This system is rather obvious, though, as the Zoid's claws glow brightly. The claws can remain charged for 6 seconds at a time, and require four seconds between usages. The vast amount of energy required will power down the optical camouflage, so make sure you're in range before powering up.

Hardened Alloy Claws and Teeth

The most basic, down and dirty weapons for the roughest, most feral kind of combat known to battling circuits. These weapons are equally good against armor or structure, though rely more on the Zoids strength for damage than any special sharpening or trick.

Abilities

Smoke/Chaff Discharger

These are located in the same positions as the Shadow Fox's, two on each side between its fore and aft legs for a total of four. When activated, they spew a combination of thick smoke and chaff, hence the name. This makes it a lot harder to see, and makes a big 'ol fuzzy blot on the radar. It also screws with missile guidance and IR vision. However, the mixed nature of the Discharger means less room overall, equaling about 40 meters of coverage after about 3-4 seconds, and lasting 10 seconds.

Omnisensor

If the multisensor knows where you are, the omnisensor knows where you're going to be. Building on the success of the multisensor, the omnisensor never lies. You can't hide from it, and the only easy way to shut it down is to take the Spirit Fox out. The range leaves something to be desired, though its an improvement on the multisensor at 250 meters.

Echo System

The Echo System is an unusual evolution of the Silencer system. Instead of suppressing the sound of the Zoid's footfalls, when the Echo System is engaged, the Spirit Fox becomes a ventriloquist, causing "echoes" of the Zoid's movements and weapon's fire all over the area. This has the dual effect making it hard to pin down the Fox's location via sound, and it also has the psychological effect of making it sound like its coming from everywhere at once.

Optical Camouflage

The Optical Camouflage system projects an energy field around the Zoid, bending light around it and making the Zoid invisible. Well, not completely invisible, if the Zoids stands still and the enemy is paying attention it'll look like a rather large heat haze. Not only that, but the Optical Camouflage takes a lot of energy, so the Strike Laser Claw cannot be used in conjunction with it. Repeat impacts from enemy weapons fire will cause the field to fail, so try not to get.

Passive Stealth Systems

The Spirit Fox is loaded with stealth systems to make detection very difficult. Heat baffles, RADAR jammers, you name it, the Spirit Fox has it.


	45. Chapter 44

Chapter 44

A/N: Alright boys and girls, gather 'round. I'm about to show you all what happens when I get pissed off while writing a story. Nothing to do with y'all, but I'm sure you'll enjoy the effects.

* * *

Zephyr grunted as Helen slammed him into the wall, her eyes furious.

"What the hell is wrong with you!" she shouted in his face, "I told you to scare them, not slaughter them wholesale."

Zephyr grinned wickedly, "I'd say they were pretty scared. Besides, basic terror tactics. Kill one village, the neighboring ones will be scared shitless and demand protection, which will drain from the available troops on the frontlines."

Helen glared at him. Damn his logic, but he was right. She was too soft for this job, and she knew it. That's why she had left the objective open, so he could improvise with his far greater experience. It didn't mean she liked it.

"This is war, Ellie," he said again, that infernal grin never leaving his face, "We've gotta get mean if we want to win."

She released him and stepped back, taking a deep breath. He had accomplished the mission, and they had been getting reports of troops being pulled off the front in order to guard villages and towns near the border. She handed him another sheet, which he looked over. An amused cough came unbidden from his throat.

"You serious?" he chuckled, "I mean, I'll do it. But, wow."

"It isn't my order," she spat, "It's General Bertz and his advisors. And as much as I dislike it, it makes sense."

Zephyr nodded and stuffed the picture attached to the sheet into his pocket as he walked out.

"Hey, tell Jules I said happy birthday!" he shouted as he left, "I'll take her out to eat when I get back!"

Helen couldn't help but smile at that. He hadn't changed completely, it seems.

* * *

The Fox silently stalked through the plains. The front was just behind them, and the sounds of gunfire and explosions not far off. Zephyr dug the picture out of his pocket one more and looked at it. The woman seemed to stare back at him, her cold green eyes giving him a sense of danger he wasn't accustomed to. He had to admit though, she was gorgeous, with long brown hair down to her butt and a curvy figure. And he was going to kill her.

"Justine Augusta," he pondered.

He ticked the things he knew about her in his head. She was the daughter of the President and an excellent pilot apparently. He'd love to see her skills, but his job wasn't to fight her. The Fox trudged on, careful to avoid any of the sensor nets the Republic had scattered across the front since their last incursion. They were sloppy and full of holes, it wasn't difficult. But something gave the Fox pause.

"What's wrong Geist?" he kept his head on a swivel as the Fox sniffed the air.

The scream ripped through the air just as the Buster Claws ripped through the rock beside them. Geist scrambled to get away, throwing himself to the side in a desperate lunge. The Claws scrapped at his flank, but the Fox got away just in time. The Fuhrer growled at the Fox and lunged once more, teeth grabbing hold onto the Fox's shoulder. Once, that would have been enough. But not now, as Geist slammed a paw into the Fuhrer's jaw and knocked it loose. Just enough for the willy Fox to get away and level its cannon. The resounding bang of the Drive Cannon was heard all the way back on the frontlines, where the battle had just become more heated...

* * *

The front was a mass of blood and metal, chaos reigned. Zoids howled in pain and rage as rounds tore them apart. The corpse of an Imperial Gojulas stared balefully onto the field of battle. A Shield Liger cried as a Lanstag stabbed it through the heart, a Genosaurer screamed as its claws tore into a Dimetrodon. But even among the chaos, there was order. Standing alone on the Republican side was a single black armored Gordos. It walked through the carnage, its heavy armor ignored the incoming fire as if they were mosquitoes. The Supercannons on its back roared with sudden fury and a Command Wolf simply ceased to exist from the waist back.

"Form up, men," the man behind the controls said firmly, "They will not get through the border!"

A Slash Liger roared as it charged, charged laser blades promising death to the Gordos. The Gordos which stepped out of the way with contemptuous ease, the reinforced joints easily coping with the increased strain of the high speed manuever. The Liger dug in and turned hard, only to take a quartet of heavy Impact rounds to the face. It fell silently, its head gone from the jaw up. The pilot of the Gordos chuckled darkly, sweeping a hand through his black buzz cut. The Gordos thundered off another shot from the Supercannons, ending another Zoid's time on the planet.

"We have them," he said simply.

"We'll see about that," a voice cut in suddenly.

The screaming came suddenly, a terrible sound like a banshee. The Gravity Wolf came over the rock like a daredevil, the Gordos barely avoiding having its head crushed under the Wolf's wheel. It came about quickly, fire flying from it's back mounted Gravity Pulse Guns. The Gordos's armor crumpled from the high gravity fluctuations. The Gordos came about just as quickly and opened fire. The Gravity Wolf tore off, evading the fire by a narrow margin.

"C'mon," the girl at the wheel chuckled, "Let's see what you've got."

* * *

In the skies above, the battle was going just as fiercely. An Imperial Fire Phoenix crowed with glee as it strafed a Pteras into oblivion. It turned about quickly to blow another Pteras out of the sky, when a black steak dropped from the sky. The Phoenix screamed as its wing fell to the ground below, the Phoenix not far behind. The Storm Sworder leveled out of its dive, the Jolly Roger on its black wing grinning madly. The Mad Wing had arrived.

"Alright boys," she cackled, "Let's clear the air."

The Phoenix downed, the Imperial Pteras units began their bombing runs on the forces below. Mad Wing flipped her Sworder to watch the explosions. As such, she nearly missed the shadow that tore its way towards her. Only the Sworder's screech of warning saved her from a quick death. As it was, the Raynos's fire tore into the Storm Sworder's foot as it closed its wings and dived. The Sworder came about quickly, firing its own Pulse Lasers, but the Raynos's custom thrusters gave it the edge in the dog fight. The Raynos came around just as quickly, the air-frame screaming at the incredible forces it was working against. The guns blazed and raked the Storm Sworder again, but this time the Sworder was ready. The Mad Wing through her Zoid into a roll as the Raynos passed, the blades cutting into it. The Raynos protested loudly as the blade tore free, taking one of its legs with it.

"Fair's fair and all," she grinned as she came around for another pass.

The Zoid circled widely, eying each other with hate filled eyes. The battle in the skies was about to get messy.

* * *

The Hammerhead blew through the air, hovering just off the ground. It was laden with more guns and explosives than it should be able to carry, only the additional thrusters allowing it to slink along the ground as it was. And it was using those weapons to blow any Imperial Zoid that got in its way apart.

"Hmph," the old bull of a man in the pilot seat growled, "Pilots these days have no respect for heavy arms or the ones using them. Always daring themselves into getting shot."

"Oh shut it grandpa," a voice cut in through the coms, "Just keep your old ass alive, eh?"

The old man growled and punched the coms, disabling them. He didn't need to hear their drivel anyway. The Hammerhead opened fire once more, a brutal barrage that shattered the shield and the Shield Liger hiding behind it. The Hammerhead was suddenly rocked, the impact in the pilots blindspot. He growled in annoyance, cursing the loss of his eye once more as he turned the Hammerhead about. And took another shell in the Hammerhead's nose for his trouble.

"Hehe," the girlish voice cut in through his supposedly disabled coms, "Hey mister, let's play!"

The Sniper Master was barely visible in the glare, its crystalline armor shining bright enough to cause him pain. It took another shot, knocking a gatling off his Zoid before jumping and disappearing. The old timer growled and responded by firing everything he had, simply obliterating the area surrounding the Hammerhead. The girl giggled again, and another shot rocked the Shark.

"C'mon mister," she pleaded, "Make this fun, kay?"

* * *

Geist howled in rage as the Fuhrer threw him by the Drive Cannon. At the last possible moment, the Fuhrer had managed to grab the Cannon and force it out of the way, the shell exploding harmlessly off to the side. The Fox immediately activated its Optical Camouflage, disappearing from the sight of the Fuhrer. The Berserk Fuhrer was nothing if not intelligent, and the Omnidirectional Shield popped up just moments before the Fox unloaded its Shock Cannon and machineguns on it, the shield absorbing the punishment easily.

"Nice try," a familiar voice cut in.

Zephyr huffed, "Figured it was you. Been a while, Anya."

The Berserk Fuhrer came about stalking slowly around Geist. An odd greenish glow came from its optics, and it hit Zephyr quickly.

"Nanosights," he grumbled, "Clever girl..."

"You aren't the only one with cool toys," she shot back with a smug grin.

The Fuhrer shot forward, the Buster Claws reaching out to latch onto Geist. It was only a quick move on his part that saved them, a quick hop backward just out of reach. The Drive Cannon thundered again, just barely grazing the Fuhrer's flank. The slight impact was enough, it seemed, for the shell erupted just behind the Fuhrer, sending it stumbling forward. Before it could steady itself, the Fox slammed into it with a fury that gave even the Fuhrer pause. The Strike Laser Claws bit into the Fuhrer's hard armor and tore it asunder, even as the Fuhrer's own clawed at the Fox and the jaws closed around Geist's neck. Another titanic shove from the Fuhrer sent them skidding apart, and the two eyed each other warily. This would be a fight to the death, and neither wanted to be the one lying on the ground.

A/N: To those whose characters I used, congratulations! I hope y'all don't mind the small modifications I made to your Zoids, they just kinda fit better. If y'all don't like them, let me know and I can go back and edit them. But you know me. They may die soon! I haven't quite decided, and any attempts at trying to sway me in either direction will be ignored. So don't bother. Those of you who either A. Didn't get accepted or B. Didn't send one in, fret not! I'll more than likely feel lazy again, so your characters may get another chance. And, of course, I may just decide to use them in this ark anyway, cause the way I see it, there's PLENTY of violence to go 'round.


	46. Chapter 45

Chapter 45

A/N: I'm glad to see y'all are enjoying it! On with the violence! And yes, this one is short as sin.

The skies above the battlefield were filled with explosions. Imperial and Republican forces dueled high above the clouds, Zoids of all sizes and types dancing the dance of death. Missiles and gunfire filled the air, so thick you could almost walk on them from Zoid to Zoid. Zoidian screams of pain and rage sounded from all sides, an endless cacophony of suffering. And among this chaos, two aces dueled.

The Raynos poured power into its thrusters, shooting forward at speeds no Zoid should be able to. And just in time, as fire from a neighboring Pteras shredded the space it had just occupied. The Zoid growled in irritation as it threw itself into a harsh turn, the guns tearing that Pteras into pieces. The pilot chuckled darkly to himself, suddenly throwing his Zoid into a wide turn. The Storm Sworder blew past it, the blades just barely nicking a wing. Mad Wing swore, she was sure now that he had eyes in the back of his head. The Storm Sworder swung in behind it and started firing its Pulse Lasers, tagging the Raynos's backside several times. It swung its head and screeched in outrage, suddenly coming to a full stop as the Storm Sworder blew past it. It didn't survive unscathed this time, as a blade cut clean through its Radome.

The pilot swore as the display fizzled out, his most powerful advantage now gone. The Storm Sworder came back around, tucking its wings and flipping around. The Raynos quickly cut thrust and dropped altitude suddenly. The Sworder was on it quickly, rounds streaming from its guns to slam into the Raynos's back end. The Zoid swerved into a cloud bank, disappearing from the naked eye. But the Sworder was dogged in its pursuit, laser fire shredding the cloud apart and revealing its quarry. The Raynos growled and hit the boosters once more. The dance in the sky would not be decided just yet.

* * *

The Gravity Wolf's wheels screamed as the pilot gunned it, sending the Wolf tearing towards the Gordos at breakneck speeds. The guns opened fire, crushing more of its thick armor. But it wasn't silent either, the Gordos's own guns roaring. The Wolf swerved round, turning it into a spin as the pilot shifted into reverse and slammed that back wheel into the Gordos's flank. The armor crunched inwards as the Wolf pushed hard before it suddenly shot forward, just ahead of the Gordos's tail slap. The Supercannons roared, and the Wolf's paws suddenly slammed into the ground, throwing it into the air just before the shells struck. It landed heavily on its wheels and spun about once more, the paws digging into the ground to stop it looking the Gordos dead in the eye.

"That wasn't very nice," the Wolf pilot grumbled, adjusted herself in the motorcycle-style seat.

The Gordos's pilot didn't bother answering, instead opening fire once more. The Wolf rocketed forward, it's wheels screaming as the drive systems nearly overloaded with the strain of such instant acceleration. The pilot grinned widely as she threw it into a weaving advance, the guns firing as it neared. Just before the Wolf slammed into the Gordos, it hauled itself upwards on its back wheel, slamming into the Gordos and driving over it. The Gordos bucked suddenly, throwing it off and putting at the mercy of its heavy guns. And it laid into the stricken Wolf, shredding armor with impunity. The Wolf growled and pushed off the ground, throwing itself out of the path of the Gordos's fire and deploying its wheels once more.

"This is gonna be tougher than I thought," she groused.

* * *

The old timer was getting pissed off. His Hammerhead was steadily being destroyed by the cunning little Sniper, and he wasn't sure if he'd even hit the thing. It's armor was a work of art, he admitted grudgingly. The prismatic armor reflected and refracted the light around it, making it seemingly blend into the environment without the use of energy heavy Optical Camouflage. Combined with its heavy sniper rifle, it was the perfect predator. And it was pissing him off.

The Hammerhead unloaded on the area again, filling it with bullets, lasers, and all kinds of explosive ordinance. And the giggling started once again, the Hammerhead rocking with the enormous impact as another shot slammed into its reinforced armor. This time, however, it was quickly joined with a serious of duller impacts and a warning klaxon sounded off. He looked at his dash and grunted. The Zoid was reporting damages, some kind of spines lodged in the Hammerhead's side armor. He ignored it.

"Hehehe, you're funny, mister!" the voice giggled again through his coms, "This is fun!"

The Sniper Master fired again, a trio of spines joining the heavy shell from the hip mounted launchers. The pilot giggled, typing on her keyboard to make the Sniper Master run to a new spot just before the barrage blew it apart. Her Sniper Master was completely custom, the armor a work of genius. Her genius. The spine launchers attached to its hips were as well, designed to give it additional weapons while it was using the rifle. The controls she'd replaced with a command system, the Zoid doing whatever it was she typed into the console. She was too small to reach the normal controls, after all.

The Hammerhead opened fire again, and the Sniper Master moved. But so did the Hammerhead. It rammed the Snipe Master in the side, throwing it to the ground. She squealed in fright, instantly understanding what he'd done. The explosions, the flames had reflected off her armor and he'd seen the warping in the air.

"Alright, mister," she growled, "Now I'm done playing."

The old man huffed and gripped his controls tighter. So was he.

* * *

Geist howled and charged the Fuhrer, the machinegun firing. The Fuhrer gave its own battlecry as it charged, one of it's shields absorbing the rounds. The shield shattered and the claw spun up while remaining open, the claw itself deflecting many of the rounds. The two Zoids slammed into each other, claws slashing and fangs tearing. The Fox's machineguns slammed rounds into the Fuhrer even as the Fuhrer drew its Buster Claws along the Fox's back, stripping the armor. The titanic shove pushed the Fuhrer off of it, and the Fox darted away, moving at a dead sprint through the hills. The Fuhrer gave chase, only to receive a net in the face for its troubles. Anya ground her teeth in rage as the Fuhrer fought against the shock and tore through the net.

"Alright you sneaky little shit," she grinned madly, "Let's see if you can outrun the Fuhrer."

Zephyr and Geist knew they couldn't, so they didn't try. Instead they made a beeline for a nearby forest, a grouping of massive trees just to their west. The Fuhrer was hot on their heels, firing its beam cannons in an attempt to tear the Fox's legs off. But Geist was cunning, he ran with the rolling hills, putting the curvature of the earth to his back and defending his legs. The moment they reached the forest, he was gone. The Fuhrer came to a stop at the forest edge. Anya swore under her breath, Zephyr and Geist were kings of guerrilla warfare. The forest was the perfect place for them to use all their nasty little tricks. As if to confirm this, the Fox howled from within the dark expanse.

"C'mon, Soldier-girl," Zephyr taunted, "Let's see how you do in my house."

Anya growled and gunned it, the Fuhrer racing into the forest.

"Challenge," she growled, "Accepted."

A/N: Yeah, I'm not finished yet.


	47. Chapter 46

Chapter 46

A/N: Guess what? I was pissed off again. Enjoy my foul mood.

The two aerial Zoids danced among the clouds. The Storm Sworder was the epitome of aerial agility, designed from the ground up to be an aerial duelist. The Raynos, on the other hand, was the king of the dogfight, a Zoid designed to kill any enemy that entered its crosshairs. The two Zoids with their opposite areas of expertise found themselves locked in a battle to the death, with only one outcome possible.

The Raynos fed even more power to its thrusters, the instruments warning of imminent overload. But the pilot didn't care, forcing the Raynos faster, quickly leaving the Storm Sworder in the dust. The Raynos screamed in protest as the pilot threw it into a tight turn, the tail guns screaming in protest before coming off in an explosion of sparks. The guns blazed, infernal light pouring from them, seeking the Storm Sworder's heart.

"What the...," the pilot's eyes widened.

The Storm Sworder was nowhere to be seen. The pilot looked around frantically, knowing every second it had to position itself was another second he lost to prepare to evade. The Raynos screamed a warning as the shadow flashed over it, and the pilot threw it to the side. But the Storm Sworder rotated quickly, and a thruster on its belly exploded to life, throwing the Zoid into the Raynos. The head blade poised forward like a spear, energy surging through it, and the two Zoids collided with titanic force. The Storm Sworder hissed in pain as its wing snapped forward and continued to the ground, the Jolly Roger grinning. The Sworder wrapped its remaining wing around the Raynos and pulled it closer, the smaller Zoid screaming in protest and fighting to escape. But the spear through its thruster unit spelled its doom as surely as a spear through the heart. The two Zoids spun through the air, the ground coming faster and faster. They landed in an open field, eternal blackness taking them as the fireball lit up the world.

* * *

The Hammerhead faced off against the Snipe Master. Or at least, where he thought the Snipe Master was. A slight distortion was the only clue to its whereabouts. A quiet hiss was his only warning before the Hammerhead was knocked back by an enormous force. The hull breach klaxon blared, and he realized the damn thing had tackled him and was clawing its way through the thick armor. The Hammerhead drove forward suddenly, knocking the Snipe Master to the ground. It rolled quickly, avoiding being burned under the high-powered thrusters, and vanished once more. Another impact rocked the Hammerhead, along with another bout of snipes. Then a bright light washed over the battlefield.

"Alright mister," the girl giggled, "Time to go bye-bye!"

The Hammerhead spun quickly to the source of the light. The Snipe Master stood on a boulder, it's armor shining with the light of the sun. The old timer shielded his eyes as he pulled the trigger. He couldn't get a clear shot, so he would settle for destroying the entire area. A missile shattered the boulder just as a brighter flash washed over the Hammerhead, and warning klaxons redoubled their efforts.

"Aw," the girl whined, "You made me miss."

The old-timer check his instruments, startled at what he saw. The left side of his Zoid was a molten mess, the weapons there worthless. He narrowed his eyes, quickly figuring out what had happened. That Snipe Master could use it's armor like a magnifying glass, turning the sun's rays into a deadly laser-like weapon. He growled, that would be an annoying ability.

He was brought back to the present by an impact and a shrill alarm from his console. The round had hit his molten left side, punching through the armor and very nearly taking out the core. He whirled his Zoid around and opened fire, catching nothing but air. Another impact, on the right side this time. She was clearly still playing. The light washed over the battlefield once more, and he turned towards it. There she stood, not even a hundred meters distant, about to melt his Zoid. The old man roared, out of character for him, and launched his Zoid forward. The weapons all jettisoned, freeing the Hammerhead from its heavy burden and sending it rocketing forward. The flash came, and the Hammer head spun quickly, bringing its left side to bear. The beam slicked through the Zoid, cutting it in half. But velocity would not be denied, and the girl screamed as the half-molten Shark slammed into her Zoid, shattering its armor and crushing her in the cockpit.

The old timer groaned as he came back to, wondering what had happened. His Zoid was silent, the core destroyed by that last attack, and he spied the enemy Zoid beneath the wreck of his own. Wordlessly, he pried open the cockpit, keeping his gun trained on the enemies own. He carefully made his way to it and wrenched it open, cutting his hands on the crystalline armor. The sight inside gave him pause. The girl couldn't have been more than twelve, most likely younger. A trail of blood led down her head and neck, her skull having been bashed in from the impact. The old man sighed and sat down.

"I'm too old for this shit," he said quietly.

* * *

The Gordos opened fire, simultaneously throwing itself around, the spikes on its tail gleaming. The Gravity Wolf slammed its paws into the ground, throwing the Zoid into the air, narrowly avoiding the tail slap. The Wolf hit the ground hard, on its paws this time, and launched itself into the Gordos's side. The Gordos's battered armor gave way easily to the Wolf's claws and fangs, tearing into its underlying structure. The Gordos threw itself to the side, dislodging the Wolf in the process, and spun quickly. The Wolf howled as the Gordos's heavy tail slammed into its side, the spikes biting deep into the Wolf's leg. The Gordos tugged hard and the spikes came with it. As did the Wolf's leg, and it howled in pain as it retreated quickly on its wheels.

"Are you okay, Aurelius?" the girl asked worriedly.

The Gravity Wolf growled and charged forward once more, the wheels screaming to a point beyond human hearing. The ground seemed to cave in under its wheels as energy gathered within them, an eerie purple light emerging from them. The Gordos hurriedly threw itself out of the Wolf's path, but the wheel caught its back leg. The Gordos screeched as the leg imploded on itself, turning into a mangled mass of metal. The Wolf continued past, the energy bleeding out of its wheels as it spun round to a stop.

The Gordos's pilot stared at the damage report. The Gravity Wolf was a new Zoid, there was very little information about it. And the damage it had done to his Zoid was nothing short of distressing, his heavy armor becoming more of a hindrance than an aid against it. But that leg was by far the most disturbing part. It had been completely crushed in on itself, a twisted, useless stump where the leg had been but a moment before.

The Wolf moved first, coming in fast with the wheel's charging once more. The Gordos stood its ground, lining itself up. The Supercannons roared, and the Gravity Wolf howled. The heavy shells destroyed the front wheel, sending the Wolf into an uncontrollable skid face first. The pilot groaned, wincing at the pain in her head. The Gordos was coming, ready to finish her off.

"I'm sorry, Aurelius," she whispered, "But I need your strength one more time."

The Wolf howled and threw itself into a spin, pivoting on its remaining leg. The leg gave way, the knee twisting out of place. But it had served its purpose. The Gordos's pilot's eyes widened as the Gravity Wolf's rear wheel filled his screen, the deadly light filling it. The Gordos made not a sound as its head imploded, the screeching metal mixing with the sick sounds of meat and bone crushing together.

"Thank you," Julia whispered, "Aurelius."

"Princess, you okay?"

Julia looked up to see a König Wolf trotting up to her fallen Zoid. The Wolf stopped short of her Gravity Wolf, the guns tracking to fire on an enemy before the Wolf regarded her own Zoid quizzically. Julia could almost imagine the young woman in the cockpit looking down on her, worry clouding her hazel eyes. The princess opened the Wolf's cockpit and smiled up at the fiery haired girl's Zoid.

"I'm fine, Cheltsea," he shouted, "But you really shouldn't stop to check on me on a battlefi- Look out!"

The König moved quickly, the Dual Sniper Rifles blowing a hole clear through the Blade Liger's cockpit. But the other three came on too quickly, the blade slicing through its back legs. It fell with a howl of protest, and the Liger's came back around for the kill.

"No!" Julia shouted in protest, unwilling to believe what she was about to witness.

And she didn't. Because a titanic roar sounded and the first Liger jerked to the side. It yowled in pain as its armor crumpled inward, the entire Zoid imploding on itself. The others looked suddenly, and the Gojulas Giga struck. Like of streak of black, it fell on the first Liger and tore it in half, lifting a piece in each claw and hurling them at the third Blade Liger, which dodged hurriedly. The massive cannons on the Giga's shoulders clanged, another round being chambered, and it leveled them at the Liger and fired. The Liger threw itself forward, its boosters flaring to full power. The shells grazed its rear and slammed into the ground. The air warped as the gravity shells created a pair of miniature black holes. But the Liger's rush had doomed it as sure as the shells. The Giga clamped its jaws around the Blade Liger's back and crushed through its entire being.

The Giga walked up to the two wolves, the sun shining off its black armor. It appeared almost a chromatic opposite to the standard Gojulas Giga template, black where there was white and burgundy where there was blue. Its crimson eyes glared down on the two fallen Zoids as it came to stop. But Julia couldn't take her eyes off the symbols that crawled over its entire length, crimson equations marking things that no ordinary mind could understand.

"Xion...," Julia muttered, "But if you're here that means..."

"Correct, Ms. Relenvie," the voice of Audicius Meler came from her coms, "The Machine Guild is moving."

Xion roared as the renewed bombardment sounded.

* * *

The Spirit Fox skulked through the forest. Zephyr looked intently at the Omnisensor, waiting for the Fuhrer to move. It was on the other side of the tree, just sitting there. Even with its Nanosights, it shouldn't be able to see through the tree. And he had no intention of fighting, he just wanted to get out and finish his mission.

"Alright Geist, let's get going," he said simply.

The Fox started off, only to be interrupted by a shrill beep from the Omnisensor. It was all the warning they got before the Fuhrer came barreling through the tree, its Buster Claws drilling through the tree like it was paper. The Fox's claws bled with energy as it slammed them into Fuhrer's Buster Claws, deflecting them from impaling the Spirit Fox. They came back quickly, but Geist moved in close, slamming a glowing paw into one of the claws. It continued pushing, forcing the spinning blades into the side of the Fuhrer's head. It screamed as the blades dug in, coming to a stop before they tore into the cockpit. It pushed back, moving the Fox's claws out of the path of its head before they shattered the uncharged claws of the Fuhrer. But the armor on that side had already been shredded, hanging in scraps as the Fuhrer glared at the Spirit Fox.

The Fuhrer came on again with a vengeance, choosing to simply slam into the Fox. Geist accepted the body slam, pivoting and turning the Fuhrer's own momentum against it. The Fuhrer blew past the Fox and slammed into a tree. The Berserk Fuhrer growled and turned about. And froze.

"Checkmate," Zephyr said simply.

The Fox snarled, keeping the Drive Cannon squarely against the Fuhrer's chest. The Fuhrer eyed uneasily, its claws twitching as it tried to decide whether to move or not. Anya made the decision for it. The Fuhrer lunged for the cannon, jaws clamping down on the barrel and heaving. But not fast enough. The report echoed through the forest, and the subsequent explosion sounded the death knell of the Berserk Fuhrer. Zephyr looked down on the Fuhrer with some guilt. The cockpit opened and out crawled Anya, her hate filled glare stabbing into Zephyr as well as any blade. The Spirit Fox turned slowly and ran off, back to the plains. Regardless of their feelings, they had a mission to complete.

The young woman stared out the window, the front too distant to be seen. She grimaced at the thought of those soldiers dying for her mother's ambitions. She just couldn't see that it was far better for them to coexist, to trade instead of fight.

"But you just couldn't live with that," she spat, "You wanted it all, to see everything under the Republican flag."

The faint sound of the door behind her caused her to turn. The young man standing before it was not one of her guards. His hair nearly appeared to be red, it was caked with so much blood, and the knife in his grip dripping gore to the carpet. She knew it would be useless to call for help, his appearance told her clearly that her guards were all dead. His mismatched eyes were blank as he walked over to her. Limping, she noted, some of the blood matting his pants was his.

"So this is how it ends," she said simply.

His knife fell quickly, efficiently. And just as quickly did die any chance for peace.

A/N: If I don't kill everyone soon, it'll be a miracle.

Special thanks to everyone who let me use their characters, thanks for helping me be lazy.


	48. Chapter 47

Chapter 47

A/N: Holy shit, I'm alive. It's taken me too fucking long to write this. So strap your asses in and get set, cause Uncharted Territory is back, baby.

* * *

Zephyr thumped his head back in his seat with a sigh. He was bored out of his mind. For the past three hours he'd done nothing but watch the wasteland go by. And the waving of the Ultrasaurus's ass in front of him. He'd have tried to tear it apart by now, but unfortunately it was his job to protect it. The Ultrasaurus turned luxury transport lumbered along, the canister on it's back barely swaying despite it's movements. It really was a marvel of engineering, and at any other time Zephyr would be busy disassembling it in his head. At the moment, however, he just wanted to tear something apart in his new Zoid.

Zephyr patted the dash, "Hopefully we'll get some action, eh?"

Rampage grumbled, trudging along. Rampage was fresh off the assembly line, a Damascus Striker. The Wolverine type Zoid was designed by a fellow Maestro Mechanicus who had gladly forked him over to Zephyr in exchange for some extra time with Luft. Zephyr was eager to test out the heavy assault Zoid's capabilities. The sun glinted off it's rust colored armor, and the Zoid appeared to sniff the ground every few steps, its yellow optics searching for targets.

"Anything?" a feminine voice cut in from the coms.

"Nada," he answered , "Does it piss you off that we're guarding a bunch of people who are literally partying away?"

"Only enough to make me want to jolt that thing," the voice laughed.

Zephyr grinned and shook his head, looking over to his partner in this venture. The Dibison wandered on, ignoring the scenery in favor of searching for targets. It had shocked the hell outta him when Kim Suyt turned out to be his partner, but he was fast learning to appreciate her sense of humor. That he knew she was a tenacious pilot only made the deal better.

"Chel, keep it tight," he said tiredly, "You're getting too far ahead."

The Konig slowed quickly, getting back into it's position at the head of the group. Zephyr sighed, Cheltsea was a good pilot. But she wasn't used to traveling in a convoy, and she kept drifting out of position. She was attached to the detail in order to help protect Julia and Mary, who were using the luxury liner to travel covertly to a more secure area.

"Chel," he started, "Swap sectors with m-"

"I have contacts!" she shouted.

Cheltsea's Wolf was stopped in front of the Ultrasaurus, it's visor down and it's rifles tracking. The Ultrasaurus stopped ponderously, with Zephyr and Kim taking their positions at the other points of the triangle.

"What do you see, Chel?" Zephyr asked quickly, scanning the horizon for movement.

"I've got one, two, three," she counted off, "Five targets. I think they're Arosaurers, maybe. Some kind of cannon units on their shoulders."

Rampage growled and zoomed in his view of a piece of the horizon. Zephyr spied four more of the contacts.

"I've got more over here," he said, "I'm not sure if they're Arosaurers, I can't tell from this distance.

"I've got a few on my end too," Kim shouted, "I don't know what they are, but they ain't friendly. I'm rolling out the welcome mat."

The welcome mat consisted of a full on barrage from the Dibison's heavy guns. The constant report sounded across the wasteland like the booming of some enormous war drum, the distant thump of impact mute in comparison. Zephyr couldn't see whatever she was firing on, but he could imagine them scattering in the face of that much firepower. Rampage snarled and opened fire with his own guns, the cannons slung over his shoulders sending rounds downrange as the rapid clunking of the mortar launchers sounded off, sending a quartet of explosives towards the enemy. The steady crack behind him told him that Chel had engaged as well.

The targets came on, unperturbed by the incoming fire. The whine of incoming soon filled the air, and Rampage growled as rounds pinged off his heavy armor. The Zoids were getting closer, and Zephyr squinted.

"Those aren't Arosaurer's," he bitched, "They're Tiga Godos, Chel."

"How the hell was I supposed to know?" she groused back, "They looked like 'em from a distance."

The Damascus Striker huffed and continued firing, snarling as one of the assailants walked into a burst of mortar fire and slumped to the ground, missing its upper body. They kept coming, and Rampage was hard pressed to keep up with their numbers. Zephyr glanced and saw the Dibison in a similar situation, though Kim's heavy guns were giving her the edge here. Chel's Wolf was continuing to put round after round downrange, though he had no way of knowing how successful she was being.

Rampage growled and Zephyr grinned, "Let's go, bud."

The Striker took off, charging forward and firing all guns. The incoming rounds pinged and deflected off his heavy armor, but the Wolverine was unperturbed. It would take a lot more than that to hinder him. The first Tiga was just before him, its drills spinning up to a scream. It charged and the drills extended. With contemptuous ease, Rapage swung his paw, laden with his heavy claws, and cut clean through the drills. The Tiga didn't have time to be surprised as the Wolverine tackled it, crushing its armored skull in its jaws.

"I love this Zoid!" Zephyr laughed and Rampage snarled with bloodlust.

Zephyr had a feral grin plastered on his face as he moved Rampage on, backhanding another Tiga and crushing its skull. An enterprising Godos got behind him and moved in. Rampage growled and tail erupted as the shotgun fired, an enormous shell ejecting from its side. The Tiga slumped to the ground, its chest caved in.

"We got this," Zephyr growled, "How's everybody doing?"

Kim looked over as her Dibison brought its hoof down on a fallen Tiga's skull. Another was send flying by a slam from the Dibison's heavy horns, the cannons finishing it before it even hit the ground.

"All's good over here," she sighed, "They seem to re-"

"Damn," Cheltsea swore, "A couple got past be!"

Kim cursed and swung the Bison around to fire, only to be rocked by impact from behind her. The Dibison kicked out and crushed the Tiga's chest, but its drill was imbedded deeply in its leg. A trio sprinted past her to join the other four that had passed Cheltsea. Kim growled and hit the toggle in her cockpit as all the screens showed the same thing.

Burnout.

The glow from the cannons intensified until it exploded forth, the beam splitting and slamming into the Tiga's, the explosion of dust and debris shielding them from view.

"Boom, motherfuckers," Kim sneered.

The Ultrasaurus roared in protest and Kim swore explosively. One of the Tiga's had gotten through, and was drilling into the massive Zoid's foot. They didn't need to win this battle, they just needed to lame it, and they would never get out of this desert alive.

The Tiga hissed in glee and suddenly jolted to the side as a loud crack filled the air. Its head smoldered lightly from the hissing hole in the side of it as Cheltsea sighed in relief.

"Close," she muttered.

Zephyr cracked his neck as Rampage tugged hard, tearing the last Tiga's head off in his jaws and tossed it aside carelessly. The Wolverine set into the body, tearing huge chunks free and swallowing them down. The Striker tore the body apart, finding the core and crushing it before swallowing it as well. Zephyr chuckled and leaned back in the seat as the Zoid ate.

They had survived the first round.

* * *

A/N: Holy shit, it's been a while. Yes, a short one, but it needed to be. It's gonna be the norm for the next few chapters, so bare with me. Also, new Zoid is new.

Name: Damascus Striker  
Family: Wolverine  
Height: 7.6 Meters  
Length: 19.87 Meters  
Weight: 114.5 Tons  
Crew: 1  
Top Speed: 210 Kilometers per Hour  
Weapons: AZ90mm Cannons, Flurry Mortars, Shock Cannons, Quad Delayed Explosive Concussion Cannons, Missile Battery, Heavy Gauge Shotgun, Hardened Allow Teeth, Eviscerator Claws  
Abilities: IR Sensors, Digging

Class: Alpha

Description

The Hammerclaw is a Zoid no one wants to mess with. It's deadly in close combat, though it is lacking in the ranged compartment. When a team set out to design a Zoid for heavy assault purposes, they looked at the Hammerclaw and saw the potential for destruction the Wolverine platform promised. And thus, the Damascus Striker was born.

The Damascus Striker is small, shorter than the Hammerclaw though it is longer. But don't let that fool you, the Striker is incredibly strong for its size, capable of going toe to toe with a Knight Breaker. It's armored reasonably well too, on par with the Snipe Liger. It isn't the most agile of beasts, however, actually coming in at a notch below the Hammerclaw. It's an armored and armed battering ram with a set of nasty claws, and it should be used as such.

But the most notable part of the Damascus may be its penchant for assaulting burrowing enemies. Buried defenders are an easy way to harry any attacking force, and can cripple an assault as surely as any superweapon. The Striker was designed so that in addition to being able to assault a position, it could also hunt and destroy any underground threats before they had the chance to do any serious damage.

Weapons

AZ90mm Cannons

Mounted on the Damascus Striker's back, these two cannons are the main part of the Wolverine Zoid's ranged arsenal. They are fixed forward, but are capable of putting out a shell every second from both barrels.

Flurry Mortars

Mounted just behind the AZ90mm Cannons is a pair of 40mm mortars. Each is capable of an independent traversal of 60 degrees horizontally and fires 4 rounds in quick succession with a maximum range of 500 meters, taking an additional second and a half to reload. This flurry of shelling is intended to maximize the chance of a hit, therefore increasing the chance of damaging the opponent. And with a blast radius of 10 meters, that's a pretty good chance.

Shock Cannons

Mounted in each of the Striker's shoulders are a column of two 20mm Shock Cannons for a total of four. While they're size may be small, much the like the Damascus Striker they pack a punch collectively, with each Cannon firing once a second. The Cannons placement makes them inaccurate while the Wolverine is in motion, and they have a limited range of 200 meters.

Quad Delayed Explosive Concussion Cannons

Mounted on the Striker's chest is a quartet of barrels. Each one fires a single shell every 2 seconds. These rounds are specially designed to penetrate the ground easily and mount a proximity trigger. Once they get close to a target, they explode in a burst of pure kinetic energy. While this may not be incredibly dangerous to a Zoid on the surface, though it'll still warp armor with time, to a burrowing Zoid it brings a special danger. Those blasts destabilize the tunnels formed by burrowers, threatening to bury them alive and crush them if they don't surface. The mount is capable of swiveling to point straight down to fire on anything that tries to come up right beneath the Striker.

Missile Battery

Mounted on each of the Damascus Striker's sides are three single shot missile pods, for a total of six missiles. Each one is capable of locking on to both land and air targets with equal efficiency, and the missiles are fired at a 45 degree angle upwards towards the Striker's front. Once fired, the Striker must return to the transport to reload.

Heavy Gauge Shotgun

Mounted in the tail of the Zoid, the Heavy Gauge Shotgun serves as a deterrent to any attack from the rear. The Shotgun fires dozens of heavy balls that are designed to flatten on impact, slamming a target with enormous force to crush armor and break structure rather than shearing it off. With a full load these have the capability of knocking smaller Zoids of 50-60 tons on their ass and making larger ones stagger, though the huge spread of the Shotgun makes only the closest shots do this much. The Shotgun has a limited effective range of 150 meters, any further and the balls will do little more than scratch the paint, and can only be fired once every 2 seconds, so make it count.

Hardened Alloy Teeth

These teeth would be ordinary on any other Zoid, but in the mouth of preternaturally strong Damascus Striker they become armor crushing weapons of destruction. The Striker's jaws can power these into thick armor and bite through structure with ease. Much like its cousin the Hammerclaw, the Striker has a quartet of teeth, two on the upper and two on the lower jaw, that are pointed backwards at a 45 degree angle. While they lack the piston ability to its cousin, they do make it harder for an opponent to escape once it has a good bite in.

Eviscerator Claws

These are the single most dangerous implement on the Striker. Each of the Damascus Striker's front claws are a full 2 meters long. Yes, the Damascus Striker's front claws are each as long as its head, and are wickedly sharp. The immense strength of the Striker allows it to use these with brutal efficiency, hacking and tearing into an enemy Zoid with wild abandon and ripping limbs off with frightening ease.

Abilities

Ground Penetrating RADAR

The Damascus Striker is a Zoid designed with some powerful weapons to stop burrowing Zoid in their tracks. And this is how it knows where they are. The GPRADAR suite senses anything underground for 300 meters in every direction, though it's useless on above ground targets.

Digging

The Damascus Striker's front claws are massive, and the Zoid itself is very strong. Combine these two factors, and you get a Zoid that is every burrower's worst nightmare. The Striker cannot burrow itself, but using its claws like spades it can dig quickly enough to snag a burrowing Zoid and pull it out of the ground.


	49. Chapter 48

Chapter 48

The Zoid before them growled, a sound more like a purr than anything that should be uttered to menace of demoralize. But demoralize it did, for this was a purr of such evil, such malicious intent that their Zoids quaked in fear. The men swallowed nervously as they watched her, the Mistress of Death.

Thanatos, the Geno Maxis.

Arrayed before her, a motley crew of Zoids. They watched her warily from a full half kilometer out, a distance most would consider safe. Most were not facing the Geno Maxis, however. A Lord Gale hovered just off the ground, its claw twitching in anticipation. To its left, a Dark Horn grumbled noisily. And to their right, a Zoid considered to be the hand of the devil, a Geno Breaker.

But even the Breaker feared the beast before them, a lithe member of the Geno family. Her midnight armor covered in sharp ridges that promised pain to any that tangled with her, though she appeared devoid of any weapons whatsoever save for the blade on its head, much like the Geno Breaker's own. Where a Genosaurer would wield its guns, the Maxis carried two large boosters of the same sort as the much feared Sturm Fuhrer. And yet, this Zoid was one of the most feared on Arawn.

There was no warning, no starting bell, as the Queen of Destruction hopped into the air. A blaze of blue flames erupted from her ankles as the thrusters ignited and sent Thanatos hurtling forwards. But a moment later, the back mounted thrusters snapped open and a plume of blue fire shot from them as from a dragon's maw, propelling the Geno Maxis to speeds only the Liger Zero Jager could hope to match. The array of Zoids met her with a desperate charge, knowing they had no hope of escaping her.

The Lord Gale led the charge, its spears held forward and crackling with energy. The Maxis purred once more and deactivated the thrusters. All of them. The Maxis came back down to earth, but not for long. With a push of its mighty legs, the Maxis was up and over the Gale, flipping in the air to slam its tail into the Gale's head as it came down. The Maxis shifted as it landed, pushing itself into the Gale's back, slamming its head mounted blade deep into it. Thanatos purred at the Gale's cry of pain as she ripped the blade free through its side and spun, tripping the Gale to the ground as its thrusters sputtered and died.

Thanatos didn't wait for it to recover, the ankle thrusters exploding to life and sending the Maxis towards the Dark Horn at a speed it simply couldn't hope to match in any lifetime. The Horn sent round after round hurtling down range, and the Priestess of Pain was punished, but its armor was stronger than it had any right being for its speed and flexibility. It would not be denied, and the Maxis returned fire, bolts of evil red energy shuttering from its shoulders in rapid bursts that flayed the Horn's armor from it. The Maxis repeated its earlier move, deactivating its thrusters and bouncing off the ground, but this time it simply brought its legs up to crash into the Dark Horn's back mounted weaponry. With a push, Thanatos sent herself sailing backwards, and the Dark Horn's guns blasted free of its back, a chunk of its armor still attached to the base.

Thanatos paused momentarily to eye her handiwork before turning to the Geno Breaker. It stood to the side, eying her warily. The Geno Maxis purred long and low, almost sensually, and the Geno Breaker shuddered. Fear, it realized. It feared the creature before it, an emotion it should not feel. They stared at each other another long moment before their thrusters ignited in unison. The Geno Maxis hurtled forwards, and the Geno Breaker moved to meet her. Its shields moved forward in a blur of motion, the pincers poised to spear into the Maxis. And with a titanic clash of metal, they meet.

And the Geno Breaker stares in shock. The Geno Maxis's arms had extended at the last possible moment, tripling in length, and caught its shields. It wrestled, trying to pry them away and push them forward in turn, but the Maxis was stronger. It could not escape. The Breaker's blade snapped into position and it thrust forward, only to meet the blade of the Maxis. They fenced then, lashing and parrying each other's strikes like a pair of duelists. Then, with a sound like shattering glass, the Breaker's blade snapped and the Maxis struck. The Breaker screamed in pain as the blade tore into its neck, going silent as Thanatos ripped it free, taking the Breaker's head from its shoulders.

She drifted back slowly as the body hit the ground, turning to the remaining pair of Zoids. The Gale huddled next to the Dark Horn, both of them eying her and shaking in fear. The Queen purred once more as her thrusters disengaged and she hit the ground. There was a sound not unlike a judge's gavel as the footlocks slammed down, anchoring her to the ground. Thanatos leaned forward, her arms extending and the claws digging into the ground as her tail vents opened up and the booster pod snapped open. A ball of chaotic light gathered in the Maxis's open maw as the two Zoids ran.

And she fired, swallowing the world in white darkness and a soundless scream. Not a trace of the two remained as Thanatos raced off to her home. Not a trace of their existence, of their struggle against Death herself.

Save for a trench of glass torn into the landscape.

* * *

Sitting in his study, Audicius Meler watched the events unfold grimly. He had been right to send Tyrannus, it seemed. The Geno Maxis was moving, which could only mean one thing.

"This war isn't over," he said tiredly, "In fact, it appears to have only just begun."

A/N: Short chapter is short, but I think the Geno Maxis makes up for it. Speaking of which, there will be no bio for the Maxis just yet, but it is NOT my creation. The Geno Maxis is in fact an official Zoid, seen only in concept sketches. It's been brought to life by many an artist in a more fleshed out capacity. This is my interpretation of how it moves, how it acts. And those titles, they ain't for show, folks.


	50. Chapter 49

Chapter 49

A/N: I'm alive! Again. Or am I? I might be dead. Who knows? I sure as hell don't. Stop talking to my undead ass and read!

And romanceisboring? You're a brat. Go read her newest story, it's lookin' good. Even if its just a prequel.

Zephyr roared as Rampage ducked under a Tiga Godos's drills and slammed his shoulder into the Zoid. The combination of sheer mass and power against the tiny Zoid was too much, and it dropped to the ground, its chest flattened. The Striker didn't have time for a reprieve as it opened fire on another Tiga, sweeping its claws at another one as it came in close. Both dropped, but he was immediately firing on the next one.

"There's no end to them," Cheltsea's voice crackled through his coms.

They'd been under constant attack for the last three hours. Three hours of gunning down any Zoid that got close. Zephyr would have wondered where they were getting all these Zoids, but he was far too tired to care. They all were. And the enemy must have realized this, for this was he most brutal attack yet. They were literally just throwing themselves at the trio of defenders.

"Just keep it tight," Zephyr growled, "We stick together, we get out of this alive."

Not like they had a choice, this was the thought unspoken between all three pilots. The Dibison had effected minor repairs, but it was still hobbled, having no chance of escaping the nimble Tiga Godos that surrounded them. The König Wolf was in bad shape itself, the visor cracked and hanging limply from one joint, the results of an exceedingly lucky shot. The Damascus Striker may have been the worst off, it's once proud and impenetrable hide a patchwork or gray metal, black internals, and red patches of mostly untouched armor. It's mortars were a mangled mess, and one claw on its left paw was cracked in half. But it still stood, stubborn and ready to fight and kill.

"Zephyr, other side!" Kim shouted through the coms.

Zephyr cursed and threw Rampage into a tight spin around, sprinting underneath the Ultrasaurus and slamming into the Tiga, snarling at the drill that screamed along his remaining shoulder armor. The Zoid hissed and lashed out with its claws, leaving deep furrows in the wolverine's forehead even as its fangs closed around its head and crushed it. The Striker dropped the corpse and opened fire on the next Tiga, blowing its chest open with close range firepower. Rampage roared its victory cry, echoed by a howl and bellow from its fellows. They were holding back the tide, they were winning.

"Incoming!"

Rampage leapt backwards, underneath the Ultrasaurus, as the first shells came in. Each one exploded on the ground with a terrific bang, sending a massive plume of earth skyward with each impact. Zephyr grit his teeth as the barrage hammered the ground around the Ultrasaurus. He looked up to see the Zoid balking at the bombardment, his eyes widening in horror as it reared, crying out in fear.

"Get the fuck away from the Ultrasaurus!" he shouted into the coms as Rampage raced out from under it.

The Ultrasaurus came down, its feet slamming down into the dirt hard enough to make the Striker stumble from the shock. He looked back and breathed a sigh of relief as he saw his partners unharmed. But his relief was short lived as he realized that they were completely exposed to the artillery, their cover now too skittish to be used as a shield without risking their own lives.

"Well shit," he laughed, "Chel, you got eyes on whatever the fuck is shooting us?"

"Um...," her voice was strained, and Zephyr wondered if she had hit her head on something, "I think they're Cannon Spiders, but their cannons are waaaaaay bigger than normal. It looks like they're actually hooked up two to a cannon."

Zephyr nodded, "Heavy howitzers, meant for siege warfare and indiscriminate bombardment. Stay close to the big guy, they won't be able to brace themselves well enough for any real accuracy. They won't risk hitting the guest compartment with one of those wall crackers."

They hurried to follow his instructions as he stayed put, studiously ignoring the titanic thumps of the shells that slammed into the ground a scant dozen meters from him. His mind flew through what he knew of those guns, of the Zoids they were using. They couldn't charge them so long as the cannons were firing, but the Ultrasaurus couldn't afford to move either. They weren't willing to destroy the Ultrasaurus either, so they had to want something, or someone, on it.

Zephyr punched the com, "Dainty Bell, this is Zephyr, one of your security detail, acknowledge."

A faint hissing answered him before a rich female voice answered, "Zephyr, this is Captain Almora of the Dainty Bell."

"I need to know what you're carrying in the hold, and don't hold back."

Another pause as she no doubt decided how much to tell him, "The guests luggage, of course. As well as a prototype for the Machine Guild."

Zephyr laughed and ran a hand through his hair. Now he understood why he was there. In the interest of secrecy, they couldn't tell anyone what was in the hold. But traditions had to be kept, so they sent him, a Maestro Mechanicus, to escort the new Zoid.

"Is it operational?" he questioned.

"Negative," the Captain answered, "Perhaps it would be more accurate to say we're transporting a portion of it. The rest is waiting for us at our destination."

Zephyr nodded and rubbed his temples. Now he knew what they were likely after, even a portion of a prototype from the Guild would sell for a handsome profit to the Republic. Add to that the likelihood of several dignitaries and bond holders on board for ransom, they really were a lovely target.

"Alright, I know you're stripped of most of your weaponry, but what _do_ you have?"

"The anti-air guns are still in place, and that's about it."

"Great," Zephyr mumbled, "Big ass tank of a Zoid that can't shoot shit. Kim, how're you holding up?"

"I've lost three of the cannons," she bitched loudly, "and this leg isn't gonna hold up to much more."

Zephyr growled, "Are they in range of the rest of the guns?"

"Barely."

"Hit 'em anyway. Chel, how're you doing?"

"I'm okay," she said a little too quickly for Zephyr's liking, "The goggles are shot, but I've still got the standard sights. Other than that, I'm pretty good."

"Awesome," Zephyr cracked his neck with a hiss, "Spot for Kim. Try to at least give them a bloody nose, eh?"

The steady boom of Kim's cannons was answer enough for him, and he allowed himself a small grin. The Dibison was their greatest weapon in this, and its artillery was pounding away at the distant Cannon Spiders. He chuckled as one disappeared in a huge fireball as its munitions took a direct hit, taking the two next to it with it. They had a chance.

Then the barrage stopped and Cannon Spiders ran. There was no organization to it, they just ran off. They weren't retreating, they were fleeing.

"Hey...," Zephyr started.

He never finished as a titanic roar sounded just to his side. He saw a flash of purple as an enormous impact lifted and flung Rampage to the side. The Damascus striker flew nearly a hundred meters before crashing down to the ground, its command system completely and utterly overloaded with the damage. Zephyr gasped at the readout, his entire left side was just crumpled inward, the armor almost touching the core. And then he saw it.

It stood next to the the Ultrasaurus, a hulking monster of purple and black. It's violet eyes were burning, and Zephyr could see nothing but hate in those eyes. It reared back its head and screamed, making Zephyr clutch his ears in pain. It wasn't like anything he'd ever heard, it burrowed into his ears and tried to split his skull from the inside. It was full of rage, of pain, of all consuming hate. It was killing him just to hear it. The it stopped, and he sobbed in relief.

"Oops," a cute voice came through the comms, obviously a girls, "Sorry about that, he forgets how painful that is sometimes."

The monster turned and Zephyr saw it clearly for the first time. A Gojulas Giga. Zephyr had only seen one such monster in his lifetime, the mighty Xion, the Grand Maestro's personal machine. But this one... this one was different. He saw Kim turning to open fire on it and tried to warn her, but his comm wouldn't send anything. He could hear everything, though. He heard her scream as it grabbed her Dibison around the neck and twirled, slamming its body into the Ultrasaurus' leg again and again until it grew bored. The other claw latched onto its rear and they pulled, the terrible sound of ripping metal sounding like a bell as it tore the Dibison in two.

"You bitch!" Cheltsea yelled.

The Wolf leapt to the side as the Gojulas tossed the two halves at it, almost carelessly. She fired, again and again, every shot slamming home into its knee. But it ignored the fire, walking forward slowly. Taunting her. He heard her yell in rage and the Wolf darted forward. Zephyr beat on the cockpit, trying to wake the Striker up, trying desperately to get to her and stop her. But he could only watch as the Gojulas, with sickening ease, sidestepped her charge and slammed a glowing claw down into the Wolf's back. If howled in pain and jerked, suddenly going silent. He heard her cries of denial and watched in horror as it tossed her aside, the Wolf's head slamming against the Ultrasaurus' leg.

"Awww," the voice again, "You guys were no fun. Oh well, I guess I'll let you live this time! You'd better be grateful!"

The Gojulas darted off, faster than it had any reason being. Zephyr pounded the cockpit, screaming in rage. It had happened again. He had failed, again. He slumped in the chair and let the tears fall. Tears of pain, of frustration, of hate. Hate for his weakness. Hate for his helplessness.

Hate for himself.

A/N: Yay for a new villain! That Gojulas sure is scary, ain't it? That's cause its a goddamn Gojulas Giga! Next chapter will come... sometime. Life is being a bitch right now to my muse.


	51. The Final Word

**The Final Word**

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, gather 'round for what will be the final word in this, the Uncharted Territory.

Yes, you read that right. This story is, for lack of a nicer term, being abandoned. After all of this time, and all of this work, I cannot continue any longer. I have read through it countless times, postulated a hundred different continuances, and every time I come to the same conclusion: I ruined my own story. I bounced like a spastic idiot through it, shortening arcs that had room for real growth, just basically writing fight scene after fight scene. I'm not saying I'm not proud of it, cause I am. I put a full novel's worth of words into this story, and I had all of you reviewers following it. But frankly, I failed you by not giving you a story worth following. There was no end in sight.

That changes now.

I am rebooting Uncharted Territory. No, that's not right. I am... _reimagining _Uncharted Territory. This will mean a lot of things. Characters will change, disappear, and possibly move around. That goes for _all_ characters, including the main ones. They are going to change _hard_. The story will likely be unrecognizable. I'll try to keep certain things, but nothing is off limits to me at this point. I will make this story fucking _worth reading god dammit. _I am setting out to fulfill promises I made from the start and never delivered on.

What this likely means is that we're looking at one chapter a week, possibly even on every two weeks. I'll try to write when I can, and the chapters will hopefully be longer than most of the old ones, but I'm looking for quality over quantity. I want this to be right. I will be leaving this story up, however. As I said, I'm proud of what I did here even if I cannot see any continuation. I hope you all enjoyed it thus far, and I hope you'll look back on it fondly from time to time. I have, and I'll likely continue to do so.

So look forward to it, folks. I'm itching to write some metallic carnage, and you know I'll end up ripping something a goddamn new one before long. Look for the first chapter within the next two weeks. The first chapter of a new story, and hopefully one that will be better than anything else I've written up to this point.

Prepare to enter _No Man's Land._


End file.
